Casting Standout: 'Warrior'

Casting Standout: 'Warrior' By Pete Keeley November 30, 2011 Photo by Opulence Studios From King Vidor's Depression-era talkie "The Champ" to last year's David O. Russell film "The Fighter," the world of boxing has appealed to filmmakers as a natural setting for character-driven drama. And something about portraying fighters seems to bring out the best in actors. "The Champ" earned its lead, Wallace Beery, an Oscar in 1932. In 1955, Marlon Brando netted his first Oscar for his portrayal of down-and-out former boxer Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront." In 1981, Robert De Niro won his second for his performance as "Raging Bull" 's Jake La Motta. And in 2005, Hilary Swank took home her second Oscar for her role in "Million Dollar Baby." Recently, as the popularity of boxing has declined and the popularity of mixed martial arts competitions such as Pride and the Ultimate Fighting Championship has soared, filmmakers have taken notice."Warrior" tells the story of Marine Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy), who goes AWOL after a firefight that claims the life of his best friend, and returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh to lay low. When he rejoins his old boxing gym, now converted to an MMA training center, he learns of Sparta, an upcoming winner-take-all competition. Tommy enlists his estranged father, Paddy (Nick Nolte), to help him train in hopes of winning the $5 million purse, which he promises to the widow of his fallen comrade. Meanwhile, 300 miles to the east, Tommy's brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), a former amateur fighter and now a high school physics teacher and family man, begins fighting again after he learns he's in danger of losing his house to foreclosure. After the premier fighter at his gym suffers a knee injury, Brendan convinces his trainer to enter him in Sparta.For casting director Randi Hiller, the challenge was finding two men for the leads who could provide the requisite physicality and masculinity while convincingly inhabiting the roles of brothers who were, in her words, "able to wear where the separate roads of their life took them."For Tommya character who wears his rage and resentment on his shirtsleeve, a fighter who, as the saying goes, "fights angry," and overwhelms his opponent with brute strengththe key was an actor who could embody that menace while revealing glimpses of the decent, moral person he is at heart: the war hero, the man estranged from his own family but dedicated to helping that of his friend. "You believe that Tom could kick somebody's ass," says Hiller, but there's also "an element of being a very damaged little boy, as well as a hard-fighting guy. And if he was just a straight-up hard-ass without some kind of vulnerability, you wouldn't feel for him at all. And that's what Tom has: He has a vulnerability and a masculinity, as well as that sense of danger."For Brendan, the dichotomy of outward aggression and inward virtue is reversed. He is a teacher, universally liked by his students, and a loyal family man who seems to have largely put his troubled past behind him. As a fighter, he's more of a tactician, waiting patiently to take advantage of his opponents' mistakes. You don't have to believe that he can fight so much as you have to believe he can win. "There's something incredibly heroic about Joel and the way he reads onscreen," says Hiller. "There's something about him that reads like he's just got a core of decency."What made these guys so right," she continues, "there's an element of [each character] that's just who these guys are as people, and the fact that they're both such phenomenal actors is an added bonus."For Paddy, O'Connor had Nolte in mind from the start. Indeed, he was to have played the role eventually assumed by Jon Voight in O'Connor's 2008 film "Pride and Glory," a drama that also focuses on the relationship between a father and his two sons. In "Warrior," Nolte's performance as the former alcoholic father trying to make amends for the past is gritty and heartbreaking. "He's a national treasure," says O'Connor. "And I wanted to use him how he's best and hoped the role would remind everyone what he's capable of."The only prominent female rolethat of Brendan's supportive wife, Tesswas filled by Jennifer Morrison. In a prior draft of the script, the source of Brendan and Tess's pecuniary problems was medical bills related to Tess's chronic illness. In the final draft, one of the couple's daughters was sickso Morrison's audition called for an interpretation that was very different from the one that wound up in the film. According to Hiller, Morrison was up to the task: "She auditioned as a very sick woman. She did a beautiful job; it was heartfelt and real and winning and all of those things. And then they changed the character, and she took that turn and did it beautifully."A number of recent films have been set in the world of MMA, and more are in the pipeline, but Gavin O'Connor's "Warrior" is arguably the first great one. Taken together, the performances in it place it on par with anything in the fight-film canon.Casting Director: Randi HillerDirector: Gavin O'ConnorWriters: Gavin O'Connor, Anthony Tambakis, Cliff DorfmanStarring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Nick NolteThe Pitch: Two estranged brothers, an AWOL Marine (Hardy) and a high school teacher and family man (Edgerton), meet for the first time in 14 years as competitors in a winner-take-all mixed martial arts tournament. To read Back Stage's complete coverage of Awards Season, please get our FREE SAG Nomination Committee Guide. Or follow all our daily coverage with Back Stage's new online Awards Season section. Casting Standout: 'Warrior' By Pete Keeley November 30, 2011 PHOTO CREDIT Opulence Studios From King Vidor's Depression-era talkie "The Champ" to last year's David O. Russell film "The Fighter," the world of boxing has appealed to filmmakers as a natural setting for character-driven drama. And something about portraying fighters seems to bring out the best in actors. "The Champ" earned its lead, Wallace Beery, an Oscar in 1932. In 1955, Marlon Brando netted his first Oscar for his portrayal of down-and-out former boxer Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront." In 1981, Robert De Niro won his second for his performance as "Raging Bull" 's Jake La Motta. And in 2005, Hilary Swank took home her second Oscar for her role in "Million Dollar Baby." Recently, as the popularity of boxing has declined and the popularity of mixed martial arts competitions such as Pride and the Ultimate Fighting Championship has soared, filmmakers have taken notice."Warrior" tells the story of Marine Tommy Conlon (Tom Hardy), who goes AWOL after a firefight that claims the life of his best friend, and returns to his hometown of Pittsburgh to lay low. When he rejoins his old boxing gym, now converted to an MMA training center, he learns of Sparta, an upcoming winner-take-all competition. Tommy enlists his estranged father, Paddy (Nick Nolte), to help him train in hopes of winning the $5 million purse, which he promises to the widow of his fallen comrade. Meanwhile, 300 miles to the east, Tommy's brother, Brendan (Joel Edgerton), a former amateur fighter and now a high school physics teacher and family man, begins fighting again after he learns he's in danger of losing his house to foreclosure. After the premier fighter at his gym suffers a knee injury, Brendan convinces his trainer to enter him in Sparta.For casting director Randi Hiller, the challenge was finding two men for the leads who could provide the requisite physicality and masculinity while convincingly inhabiting the roles of brothers who were, in her words, "able to wear where the separate roads of their life took them."For Tommya character who wears his rage and resentment on his shirtsleeve, a fighter who, as the saying goes, "fights angry," and overwhelms his opponent with brute strengththe key was an actor who could embody that menace while revealing glimpses of the decent, moral person he is at heart: the war hero, the man estranged from his own family but dedicated to helping that of his friend. "You believe that Tom could kick somebody's ass," says Hiller, but there's also "an element of being a very damaged little boy, as well as a hard-fighting guy. And if he was just a straight-up hard-ass without some kind of vulnerability, you wouldn't feel for him at all. And that's what Tom has: He has a vulnerability and a masculinity, as well as that sense of danger."For Brendan, the dichotomy of outward aggression and inward virtue is reversed. He is a teacher, universally liked by his students, and a loyal family man who seems to have largely put his troubled past behind him. As a fighter, he's more of a tactician, waiting patiently to take advantage of his opponents' mistakes. You don't have to believe that he can fight so much as you have to believe he can win. "There's something incredibly heroic about Joel and the way he reads onscreen," says Hiller. "There's something about him that reads like he's just got a core of decency."What made these guys so right," she continues, "there's an element of [each character] that's just who these guys are as people, and the fact that they're both such phenomenal actors is an added bonus."For Paddy, O'Connor had Nolte in mind from the start. Indeed, he was to have played the role eventually assumed by Jon Voight in O'Connor's 2008 film "Pride and Glory," a drama that also focuses on the relationship between a father and his two sons. In "Warrior," Nolte's performance as the former alcoholic father trying to make amends for the past is gritty and heartbreaking. "He's a national treasure," says O'Connor. "And I wanted to use him how he's best and hoped the role would remind everyone what he's capable of."The only prominent female rolethat of Brendan's supportive wife, Tesswas filled by Jennifer Morrison. In a prior draft of the script, the source of Brendan and Tess's pecuniary problems was medical bills related to Tess's chronic illness. In the final draft, one of the couple's daughters was sickso Morrison's audition called for an interpretation that was very different from the one that wound up in the film. According to Hiller, Morrison was up to the task: "She auditioned as a very sick woman. She did a beautiful job; it was heartfelt and real and winning and all of those things. And then they changed the character, and she took that turn and did it beautifully."A number of recent films have been set in the world of MMA, and more are in the pipeline, but Gavin O'Connor's "Warrior" is arguably the first great one. Taken together, the performances in it place it on par with anything in the fight-film canon.Casting Director: Randi HillerDirector: Gavin O'ConnorWriters: Gavin O'Connor, Anthony Tambakis, Cliff Dorfman Starring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison, Frank Grillo, Nick NolteThe Pitch: Two estranged brothers, an AWOL Marine (Hardy) and a high school teacher and family man (Edgerton), meet for the first time in 14 years as competitors in a winner-take-all mixed martial arts tournament. To read Back Stage's complete coverage of Awards Season, please get our FREE SAG Nomination Committee Guide. Or follow all our daily coverage with Back Stage's new online Awards Season section.

Independent Spirit Award Nominations 2011: The Artist,' 'Take Shelter' Lead the means by which

The honours buzz keeps moving for 'The Artist,' which received five Spirit nominations on Tuesday, as did the lesser-known indie 'Take Shelter,' starring Michael Shannon just like a father with apocalyptic visions. Shannon was nominated for top Male Lead, along with 'The Artist's Jean Dujardin, Ryan Gosling ('Drive'), Woodsy Harrelson ('Rampart') and Demián Bichir ('A Better Existence.') Sadly, Ernest Gordon-Levitt was overlooked for his great be employed in '50/50,' despite the fact that film expires for top Feature together with an initial Script award. Anjelica Huston, who carried out the excessively emotional mother inside the cancer drama, is nominated for top Supporting Female. Among the other nominees, Michelle Williams, Jessica Chastain, Albert Brooks, and Christopher Plummer and ... 'Cedar Rapids?' Have the whole report on nominees ahead. FEATURE '50/50' 'Beginners' 'Drive' 'Take Shelter' 'The Artist' 'The Descendants' MALE LEAD Demián Bichir, 'A Better Life' Jean Dujardin, 'The Artist' Ryan Gosling, 'Drive' Woodsy Harrelson, 'Rampart' Michael Shannon, 'Take Shelter' FEMALE LEAD Lauren Ambrose, 'Think of Me' Rachael Harris, 'Natural Selection' Adepero Oduye, 'Pariah' Elizabeth Olsen, 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' Michelle Williams, 'My Week with Marilyn' SUPPORTING MALE Albert Brooks, 'Drive' John Hawkes, 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' Christopher Plummer, 'Beginners' John C. Reilly, 'Cedar Rapids' Corey Stoll, 'Midnight in Paris' SUPPORTING FEMALE Jessica Chastain, 'Take Shelter' Anjelica Huston, '50/50' Jesse McTeer, 'Albert Nobbs' Harmony Santana, 'Gun Hill Road' Shailene Woodley, 'The Descendants' DIRECTOR Michel Hazanavicius, 'The Artist' Mike Mills, 'Beginners' Rob Nichols, 'Take Shelter' Alexander Payne, 'The Descendants' Nicolas Winding Refn, ' Drive' Script Ernest Cedar plank plank, 'Footnote' Michel Hazanavicius, 'The Artist' Tom McCarthy, 'Win Win' Mike Mills, 'Beginners' Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, 'The Descendants' FIRST FEATURE 'Another Earth' Director: Mike Cahill Producers: Mike Cahill, Hunter Gray, Brit Marling, Nicholas Shumaker 'In the Family' Director: Patrick Wang Producers: Robert Tonino, Andrew van family room Houten, Patrick Wang 'Margin Call' Director: J.C. Chandor Producers: Robert Ogden Barnum, Michael Benaroya, Neal Dodson, Joe Jenckes, Corey Moosa, Zachary Quinto 'Martha Marcy May Marlene' Director: Sean Durkin Producers: Antonio Campos, Patrick Cunningham, Chris Maybach, Josh Mond 'Natural Selection Director: Robbie Pickering Producers: Brion Hambel, Paul Jensen FIRST Script Mike Cahill, Brit Marling, 'Another Earth' J.C. Chandor, 'Margin Call' Patrick deWitt, 'Terri' Phil Johnston, 'Cedar Rapids' Will Reiser, '50/50' JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD Presented to the most effective feature created for under $500,000. 'Bellflower' Author/Director: Evan Glodell Producers: Evan Glodell, Vincent Grashaw 'Circumstance' Author/Director: Maryam Keshavarz Producers: Karin Chien, Maryam Keshavarz, Melissa M. Lee 'Hello Lonesome' Author/Director/Producer: Adam Reid 'Pariah' Author/Director: Dee Rees Producer: Nekisa Cooper 'The Dynamiter' Author: Kaira Inglesby Director: Matthew Gordon Producers: Kevin Abrams, Matthew Gordon, Merilee Holt, Art Manley, Mike Manley, Nate Tuck, Amile Wilson CINEMATOGRAPHY Joel Hodge, 'Bellflower' Benjamin Kasulke, 'The Off Several hours Darius Khondji, 'Midnight in Paris' Guillaume Schiffman, 'The Artist' Jeffrey Waldron, 'The Dynamiter' The 27th Spirit Honours is going to be provided Feb. 25 in Santa Monica. Meanwhile, 'The Artist' also needed home Best Picture within the NY Film Experts Circle on Tuesday. For further on people honours, follow the link. [via Variety] [Photo: The Weinstein Co.] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Madonna's 'W.E.' Trailer Notifies the storyplot of Two Love Tales (Video)

Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images Madonna's second directorial venture, W.E., might be the storyplot of two love tales. The very first is the questionable affair between King Edward VIII and American Wallis Simpson inside the 19 thirties. Another can be a modern-day story of a married lady who's deeply deeply in love with a Russian security officer. She also seems passionate concerning the storyplot of King Edward VIII and Simpson. A clip for W.E., which was acquired with the Weinstein Co., proves the film is stuffed full with emotional moments and piano music. Madonna's film, which opened up within the Venice Film Festival, received with mixed reviews. PHOTOS: Venice Film Festival: 10 Movies to know "Enamored of surface looks, the director and cinematographer Hagen Bogdanski make everything look wonderful inside an pricey music video type of way and locations such as the Cote d'Azur , Portofino and assorted royal houses do nothing at all whatsoever to detract up of wall-to-wall luxury," written The Hollywood Reporter's Todd McCarthy within the Venice Film Festival review. STORY: Toronto 2011: A Nervous Madonna States She's Showing Herself Once More just like a Film Director The drama, which stars Abbie Cornish, James D'Arcy and Andrea Riseborough, opens in theaters on December 9. Abbie Cornish Madonna W.E.

Twilight Fever Hits London For UK Premiere

First Published: November 16, 2011 9:06 AM EST Credit: Getty Images Caption Robert Pattinson arrives at The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, Los Angeles, on November 14, 2011LONDON, U.K. -- London fans are in the grip of Twilight fever ahead of the U.K. premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1. But so-called Twihards hoping for a glimpse of Kristen Stewart, who plays the love-besotted teen Bella Swan, will be disappointed. Instead they will get to see Robert Pattinson, the British actor who stars as her vampire heartthrob Edward Cullen, Taylor Lautner, who as werewolf Jacob Black is her best friend and director Bill Condon before the screening at the Westfield shopping center in Stratford City. The first Twilight movie was released in 2008. This fourth film finally sees Bella marry her vampire boyfriend. The film opens in the U.K. on Friday. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Immortals #1 With So-So $32M, Jack And Jill Hangs Onto $27.5M, Puss In Boots $27M, Tower Heist $14M, J. Edgar $12M

SATURDAY 10:30 PM,2NDUPDATE: Latest Top10 grosses showbetter North American box office than previously thought thanks to the Veterans Day holiday weekendwhen school is out in 60% of the country. The good news isa break from slumping attendance with a $137M total moviegoing weekend, up+18% from last year.But the bad news is that these movies are still way underperforming what they should have done on a holiday weekend. That’s because these major studio pics were definitely not crowd-pleasers. Just check out their Rotten Tomatoes scores. Full analysis coming: 1. Immortals 3D (Relativity) NEW [3,112 Theaters] Friday $14M, Saturday $10.6M, Weekend $32M It did an unexciting $1.4M in Thursday midnight gross from approximately 900 locations then expanded locations and grosses during Friday. SoRelativity’s Immortals has stayedthe #1 movie with a $32M weekend bow, which is a rarity these days. But you also must realize that Immortals is a 300-clone yet won’t make 50% of the $70.8M opening amount that the original 2D movie did even with the higher 3D ticket prices. Immortals should have made $50+M, folks, given the genre and promotion. “300 was absolutely a big success, but we are in a different economy, marketplace, and time of year,” a Relativity exec tolds me Friday night. “Young males have been hard to get over the past year. Its a significant accomplishment that we got them. We are well positioned to be the 3rd highest R-rated film this year and the highest R-rated action film this year. This is a win for us.” Needless to say, Relativity is known for its spin. But it also claims reduced risk from foreign pre-sales on the supposedly $75M-budgeted film.Then explain to me why, for 2 years, Relativity was telling everybody and their mother that the budget ofImmortals was $120M. (Don’t believe me? Go back and do a Google search). It sold the filminternationally to foreign buyers with a budget of $120M. Now, all of asudden, the budget is $75 million? Puh-leeze. Audiences gave Immortals a ‘B’ CinemaScore but Rotten Tomatoesrecorded just37% positive reviews. MORE 2. Jack And Jill (Sony Pictures) NEW [3,438 Theaters] Friday $9M,Saturday $10.4M,Weekend $27.5M Sony Pictures’ Jack And Jill starring Adam Sandler was hard-pressed to equal his usual $30+M opening comedies. (Maybe moviegoers aren’t as moronic as Hollywood thinks they are. Rotten Tomatoes gave this turkey only a 3% positive score.) Picreceived a ‘B’ CinemaScore but also an ‘A-” from audiences under age 18. MORE 3. Puss In Boots 3D (DreamWorks Animation/Par) Week 3 [3,903 Theaters] Friday $8M,Saturday $10.1M,Weekend $27M,Cume $110.3M 4. Tower Heist (Universal) Week 2 [3,370 Theaters] Friday $4.6M,Saturday $5.8M,Weekend $14M (-42%), Cume $44.7M That superficially seems like a good hold. But then you realize Tower Heist wayunderperformed last weekend so it’s hardly impressive.Brett Ratner’s lousy week just keeps getting lousier. 5. J. Edgar (Warner Bros) NEW – opened Wednesday [1,901 Theaters] Friday $3.5M, Saturday $4.8M,Weekend $12M J. Edgar received a ‘B’ CinemaScore. Warner Bros is looking at a strong per screen average for Clint Eastwood’s and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar-buzzed biopic. But top critics on Rotten Tomatoes surprisingly gave it only 55% positive reviews. MORE 6. Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (NL/Warner Bros) Week 2 [2,875 Theaters] Friday $2.2M, Saturday $2.4M,Weekend $6M (-64%),Cume $23.4M 7. In Time (Fox) Week 3 [3,127 Theaters] Friday $1.5M, Saturday $1.7M,$4.2M, Cume $30.7M 8. Paranormal Activity 3 (Paramount) Week 4 [2,776 Theaters] Friday $1.3M, Saturday $1.6M,Weekend $3.8M,Cume $101M 9. Footloose (Paramount) Week 5[2,215 Theaters] Friday $1M, Saturday$1.2M,$3M, Cume $49M 10. Real Steel (DreamWorks/Disney) Week 6[1,758 Theaters] Friday $650K, Saturday $850K,Weekend $2M, Cume $81.7M 4 PM: Since it’s Veteran’s Day, it’s a different kind of Friday with school out in 60% of the country. So I’m hesitant calling anything off matinees and will wait until tonight firms up. But if current trends continue,Sony Pictures’ Jack And Jill starring Adam Sandler looks hard-pressed to equal his usual $30+M opening comedies. (Maybemoviegoers aren’t as moronic as Hollywood thinks they are.)While the 300-clone Immortals, the3D pic from Relativity,may not makemore than40% ofthe $70.8M opening weekend amount that the original 2D movie did. Immortals right now is looking tobe the #1 movie at the North American box office but “could be anybody’s ballgame tonight,” a rival studio exec cautions me. Immortals did $1.4M in midnight gross from approximately 900 locations which is so-so. On the other hand, Warner Bros’ J. Edgar is looking at a strong per screen average for Clint Eastwood’s and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Oscar-buzzed biopic.Top 5 like this but check in later: 1. Immortals 3D (Relativity) $28M estimated weekend from 3,112 Theaters for debut 2. Jack And Jill (Sony Pictures) $25M estimated weekend from 3,438Theaters for debut 3. Puss In Boots 3D(DreamWorks Animation/Paramount) $22M estimated weekendfrom 3,903 Theaters for Week 3 4.J. Edgar (Warner Bros) $18M estimated weekend from1,901 Theaters after opening Wednesday in limited run 5. Tower Heist (Universal) $15M estimated weekendfrom 3,370 Theaters for Week 2

Ghosts, Trans-Humans and KGB Agents on SyFy Development Slate (Exclusive)

This story initially made an appearance within the November. 18 problem from the Hollywood Reporter magazine.our editor recommendsSyFy Orders Haunted Senior High School Series from Mark BurnettSyfy Renews 'Haven' for Third SeasonSyfy Renews 'Alphas''Alphas' Is Syfy's Most-Viewed Series Debut in 2 Years Coming off its most-viewed third quarter ever, Syfy has made the decision to put on the drama. The NBCUniversal cable network noted for such shows as Alphas, Haven and Warehouse 13 is developing scripted projects featuring ghosts, trans-humans and KGB agents: Ghost Projekt In line with the Oni Press comic series, the drama involves a lady KGB agent along with a male American weapons inspector who form an unlikely partnership whenever a deadly pressure is unknowingly unleashed in Siberia. The CBS Galleries project counts Brett Matthews (Supernatural) like a author and executive producer, with Andy Bourne and Eric Gitter aboard as Expanded polystyrene. Seeing Things The Fox TV Galleries project focuses on a cop who turns into a ghost after his violent dying. Alone who are able to help close his last situation is really a socially awkward guy who knows that the hallucinations he's had all his existence is probably not a figment of his imagination. David Slack (Person of great interest) will executive produce and pen the script with Gabrielle Stanton (Haven). Scott Rosenberg and Robert Cort are attached as Expanded polystyrene too. Untitled Robert H. Wolfe Project The drama from Universal Cable Productions is occur a postwar era where a recently created Oneness Democracy orders a volatile mixture of humans and trans-humans to guide the Starship Defender with an expedition looking for lost mobile phone industry's needing law and order. The project originates from Wolfe (Alphas), who's mounted on write and executive produce. Related Subjects NBCUniversal SyFy TV Development

Anchor Bay acquires Ratner-produced 'Mother's Day'

Brett Ratner may be out as Oscar producer, but he's still making deals: Anchor Bay Films has acquired the horror film "Mothering Sunday,Inch which Ratner and Richard Saperstein produced with Jay Stern, John Witten, Jessie Rusu, Curtis Leopardo and Shara Kay. Darren Lynn Bousman directs what Anchor Bay describes just like a loose remake in the original Troma film of the title directed by Charles Kaufman. Rebecca DeMornay, Jamie King, Deborah Ann Woll and Shawn Ashmore star. Anchor Bay made the announcement Wednesday, the best day's the American Film Market -- together with a following day of Ratner left as producer in the Academy awards over utilizing an anti-gay slur within a screening of "Tower Heist" the other day. "Mothering SundayInch concentrates on a bank robbery gone wrong with three brothers and sisters vulnerable to home, only to uncover their mother lost the house in the house foreclosures. The completely new entrepreneurs in addition to their site visitors, collected with an ill-timed special birthday, end up being the brothers' unwitting hostages. Deal was talked about by Josh Thomashow and Kevin Kasha for Anchor Bay Films and Ben Weiss from Paradigm for your film. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

ITV2 Orders Celebrity Interview Series Starring Perez Hilton

ITV2 has given a four-episode order to Perez Hilton Super Fan, an unscripted series featuring the celebrity blogger getting close and private having a different celebrity every week, including Rhianna, Kelly Rowland, Katy Perry and Enrique Iglesias. The series, which will premiere on ITV2 in December, originates from Chris Coelens Kinetic Content, together with Scotland-based STV Prods., GroupM Entertainment and also the Collective. Kinetic is going to be shopping the series to US systems within the next couple of days. Worldwide, it will likely be written by DRG. Chris Coelen, Perez Hilton, STVs Alan Clements, GroupMs Richard Promote and Tony Moulsdale and also the Collectives Steven Grossman will executive produce together with Kinetics Jennifer Danska and Matilda Zoltowski.

NCIS Casts Larry Miller to Play Jimmy's Father-in-Law

Larry Miller NCIS has recruited Larry Miller to play the future father-in-law of Jimmy Palmer (Brian Dietzen), Entertainment Weekly reports. The comedian and veteran actor will play Ed Slater, the father of Jimmy's fiancée Breena. In the CBS drama's Christmas episode, airing in December, Jimmy spends the holidays with Breena's side of the family. Watch full episodes of NCIS "We needed a curmudgeon with a sharp tongue and even sharper wit so we were thrilled when gifted actor/comedian Larry Miller expressed a desire to play Ed Slater," executive producer Gary Glasberg told the magazine. "The holidays wouldn't be complete without some family tension and fans are certainly going to get some.They may even see a side of Jimmy dealing with Ed they never expected." Miller, 58, most recently guest-starred on Curb Your Enthusiasm earlier this year.

Existence In Individuals Days (Antoki no inochi)

A Shochiku Co. relieve a "Existence In Individuals DaysInch Film Partners production. (Worldwide sales: Shochiku, Tokyo, japan, japan.) Produced by Takashi Hirano, Atsuyuki Shimoda. Directed by Takahisa Zeze, Script, Sachiko Tanaka, Zeze, good novel by Masashi Sada.With: Masaki Okada, Nana Eikura, Taizo Harada, Tori Matsuzaka, Mitsuru Fukikoshi, Shota Sometani.Strong, seamless perfs from Masaki Okada and Nana Eikura bring a wealthy emotional intensity to Takahisa Zeze's potent meller "Existence In Individuals Days.Inch Following his near five-hour opus, "Heaven's Story," which attracted attention at Berlin, Zeze decides for just about any shorter running time here but packs in enough concentrated passion to go away auds breathless. Pic won the Montreal fest's Innovation award and seems vulnerable to survive at future fests, particularly people by getting an Asian bent. B.O. needs to be strong when the film bows November. 19 in Japan, where local smashes for instance "The Lightning Tree" and "Confessions" have given Okada a hollywood. Pic opens while using startling picture of sharp scissors plunging to the uniform from the schoolboy, nailing it for the floor that is a tumbler of who is the owner of the slashed uniform, teen Kyohei Nagashima (Masaki Okada), sitting nude round the family roof and looking out over Tokyo's and surrounding and surrounding suburbs. Action then jumps ahead three years, just like a tentative, stuttering Kyohei arrives for his first workday. Working alongside cheerful boss Saso (Taizo Harada) and subdued co-worker Yuki (Nana Eikura), Kyohei visits houses where corpses happen to be situated to have the ability to decontaminate the premises and divide the deceased's possessions into trash and articles "being consecrated." Kyohei is undecided about themselves or his duties, but Saso is just grateful the newcomer doesn't flee within the first sight of maggots. At the office, Kyohei notices slash scars on Yuki's arms this marks the beginning of a nervous romance. Nuances of Yuki's troubled past are saved under systems prior to the third act, but for the time being the narrative cycles involving the present and earlier occasions just before Kyohei's high-school trauma, recommended at inside the opening images. Much like many teen-focused Nipponese films, bullying reaches the center of the drama, and Kyohei's experience proves more disturbing than most. Pacing is deliberate but steady, building with a dramatic apex by getting an electrifying mountaintop confrontation between Kyohei and also the chief tormentor from secondary school, Matsui (Tori Matsuzaka). It's a literal cliffhanger that demonstrates Zeze's fascination with supplying the viewer not just arty internal brooding, additionally to his flair for creating spectacle despite financial limitations. Pic possibly peaks too soon at this time around, departing the sense the ultimate reels, although not unnecessary, may have been more tightly edited. Eikura ("April Bride," "Tokyo, japan, japan Koen") is fantastically understated becoming Yuki, brittle but furthermore possessed of strong feelings she's too insecure to share. Though gangly Okada ("Departures," "Confessions") seems a tad too old inside the schoolboy flashbacks, he matches Eikura's onscreen fragility, as well as the initial discrepancy seems less noticeable since the drama reaches become more absorbing. Stylistically, Zeze alternates between restless wobblecam and traditional tripod designs, nevertheless the camera moves will be thoughtful, clearly designed to increase either understanding or tension still, as being a lot Japanese fare, the film is overlit. Takatsugu Muramatsu's treacly score feels from sync while using power of the proceedings the pic's finest moments transpire when the thesps haven't any musical support.Camera (color, 35mm-to-HD), Atsuhiro Nabeshima editor, Jun'ichi Kikuchi music, Takatsugu Muramatsu art director, Toshihiro Isomi appear (Dolby Digital), Mitsugu Shiratori. Examined at Tokyo, japan, japan Film Festival (Special Tests), March. 23, 2011. (Also in Montreal, Busan film festivals.) Running time: 131 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Rep: No Truth To Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez Split Rumors

First Published: November 5, 2011 8:10 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images Caption MTV Europe Music Awards Hostess Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber hold hands as they arrive to attend the MTV Voices Dinner during the MTV Europe Music Awards 2011 at the Merchant Hotel on November 5, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez fans can rest easy the teen power couple is still going strong. Contrary to an online report on Friday, Justin and Selena have not split up, a rep for Selena told Access Hollywood on Friday night. Rumors of the split came just days after a 20-year-old California woman, Mariah Yeater, claimed Justin was the father of her 3-month-old son. Late Friday afternoon, it was reported Selena had dumped The Biebs in the wake of the scandal. Yeater filed a paternity suit in San Diego Superior Court earlier this week, claiming she was 19 when she had a brief sexual encounter with a then-16 Bieber after one of his concerts last fall at Staples Center in Los Angeles. During an interview on the Today show on Friday morning in NYC, Justin rebuffed the womans claims, claiming he had never met the woman. To set the record straight, none of it is true, Justin told Matt Lauer on Today. I know Im going to be a target, but Im never going to be a victim, Justin added. Its crazy, because every night after the show Ive gone right from the stage right to my car. So its crazy that some people want to make up such false allegations. A source close to Justin also shot down rumors of the split on Friday night, telling Access that there was no truth to the rumors and the couple is still heading to Europe together this weekend for the MTV Europe Music Awards in Belfast. Justin will be performing at the show while Selena will be the host. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

I, Alex Cross Sparks Producers Lawsuit Over Claims Of Credit By Rivals

Producers of Summit Entertainment’s upcoming release I, Alex Cross directed by Rob Cohenwith Tyler Perry stepping into the role created by Morgan Freeman have filed suit against other producers who claim they should receive compensation and screen credit for the movie.Bill Block and Paul Hanson are partners in QED, which produced the project that Summit has acquired for distribution.QED claims in the suit that prolonged negotiations that began in 2008 with producersJan Korbelin and Marina Grasic (who withMark Lindsay have launched Cargo Entertainment)and their company Visitor Pictures failed to come to an agreement on Visitor’s involvement with the development of I, Alex Cross. QED claims it drafted and redrafted multiple memorandums of understanding for Visitors’ involvement which were all rejected and no agreement was reached or signed. In 2009 QED says it formally notified Visitors that all previous offers were withdrawn. QED asserts that development of the movie proceeded without Visitors, who “indeed sought to have no involvement,” according to the suit. Now that principal photography on I, Alex Cross has finished and the movie is expected to be released next year, QED claims that Visitors has resurfaced and is demanding compensation and screen credit, probably in preparation for legal action of their own. QED and other plaintiffs Suejack Inc. and JPB Businesses are seeking a court ruling in the case to remove the “cloud” cast over I, Alex Cross by Visitors’ claims before the movie is released. As for the movie, in addition to Perry as the detective, Lost‘sMatthew Fox plays a serial killer who murders Crosss wife as revenge for Cross thwarting an earlier attempted murder. Ed Burns plays Fox’s partner. Marc Moss wrote the script and director Cohen and he generated a new draft that takes some different turns than the novel.In addition to QED partners Block and Hanson, producers include Leopoldo Gout and Steve Bowen, who spearhead Pattersons film endeavors. The movie was packaged by WME.