Recently added articles from Daily Variety:
Game on.(VARIETY.COM)
Sep 01, 2009; ... The iPhone is taking on the vidgame biz as Rockstar Games plans to release a version ...
Pow! Mouse in tights: Disney lands Marvel heroes.(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2009; Graser, Marc ... Last week, Disney wasn't in the superhero business, having distributed Pixar's "The Incredibles" but produced little else to capitalize on popular comicbook characters. This week, it's poised to become the owner of Marvel and its vast array of superheroes and villains. The deal ...
Summer B.O. biggest ever.
Sep 01, 2009; McClintock, Pamela ... It's not even Labor Day weekend yet, but 2009 has already become the highest-grossing summer ever at the domestic box office. Through Sunday, summer B.O. revs were $4.17 billion, compared to $4.16 billion for summer 2007, the previous record holder. The Labor Day ...
Fox has 'Fantastic' idea for a reboot.
Sep 01, 2009; Fleming, Michael ... While Disney lays down a $4 billion bet on the future of Marvel's superheroes, 20th Century Fox has already begun overhauling one of its big Marvel franchises. "Fantastic Four," to take the property beyond the two films already made. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Akiva ...
L.A. fire brings dire signals.
Sep 01, 2009; Schneider, Michael ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Los Angeles TV and radio station execs were making contingency plans Monday as a massive wildfire threatened to knock their broadcast signals off the air. With the so-called Station fire consuming more than 100,000 acres of the Angeles National ...
'L Word' gets real this time.(The L Word)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2009; Schneider, Michael ... Showtime is reviving "The L Word"--but this time as a reality series. Pay cabler has greenlit nine episodes of "The Real L Word: Los Angeles," from "L Word" creator Ilene Chaiken and reality producers Magical Elves ("Top Chef"). Show will follow six lesbians in Los ...
Late-summer slack 'Shrek' leads beat for b'way retreat.(LEGIT)
Sep 01, 2009; Cox, Gordon ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Broadway continued its late-summer slippage last week, with box office down at almost every one of the 19 shows on the boards. Hardest hit was fluctuation-prone "Shrek the Musical" ($731,218), off 15% (or around $125,000). "South Pacific" ...
'Lincoln' dances with Fringe fest kudos.(Legit Bits)(Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2009; Cox, Gordon ... The New York Fringe Festival has handed out its annual awards to a sizable list of shows, with "Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party," "Devil Boys From Beyond" and "Viral" sharing laurels for play. "Mom--A Rock Concert Musical" and "Citizen Ruth," a musical version of the 1996 ...
That Championship Season.(Theater review)
Sep 01, 2009; Rizzo, Frank ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Westport Country Playhouse, Westport, Conn.; 575 seats; $55 top) A Westport Country Playhouse presentation of a play in one act by Jason Miller. Directed by Mark Lamos. Sets, David Gallo; costumes, Cynthia Nordstrom; lighting, Jeff Nellis; ...
Broadway top 10: Aug. 24-30.(LEGIT)
Sep 01, 2009; ... <Pre> Broadway Top 10: Aug. 24-30 Show (Theater)(Prod. Category) Week's Net Receipts Prev Week's (Seats) Potential Net Receipts Net Receipts Wicked $1,609,027 $1,634,843 (Gershwin)(M)(1,809) ...
Oscar pulling rank: picture race adopts preferential voting.(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2009; McNary, Dave ... Oscar voting is undergoing a seismic shift in the category of picture nominees. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Under the rules Monday, the 5,800 voters will rank the 10 nominated films in order of preference, rather than the decades-old practice of simply voting for a single ...
McMahon finds Home.
Sep 01, 2009; Ault, Susanne ... John McMahon has been named managing director, Europe, at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. McMahon will oversee the studio's DVD, Blu-ray and digital distribution operations for the region. He will also regularly communicate with other Sony Corp. divisions, including Sony ...
Thesps to enter 'lottery'.
Sep 01, 2009; McNary, Dave ... Brandon T. Jackson ("Tropic Thunder") and Natari Naughton ("Fame") have been cast alongside Bow Wow and Ice Cube in Alcon Entertainment's "Lottery Ticket." Alcon's financing and producing the urban comedy with musicvid helmer Erik White will make his feature directorial debut on ...
Allied puts accent on integration.(Allied Advertising Agency )(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2009; Levine, Stuart ... Allied Advertising is rebranding itself to become a one-stop shop. In changing its name to Allied Integrated Marketing, the firm's mission is to offer a variety of services to its entertainment-heavy client base. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In expanding its ...
Daytime Emmys hit a new ratings low.
Sep 01, 2009; Kissell, Rick ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ratings bar for the Daytime Emmys continues to drop as Sunday's telecast on the CW drew easily the lowest numbers yet. According to Nielsen prelims, the two-hour kudocast beginning at 8 p.m. ET averaged a 0.6 rating/2 share in adults 18-49 ...
Lifetime sets 'Double' date.
Sep 01, 2009; Levine, Stuart ... Lifetime Movie Networks has acquired "Double Wedding," to star Tamera Mowry ("Strong Medicine") and Tia Mowry ("Girlfriends"). Pic, about twin sisters who begin dating the same man, will be directed by Craig Pryce and produced by Automatic Pictures. Jennifer ...
Sony pushes 'Green' back.
Sep 01, 2009; McClintock, Pamela ... Sony's "The Green Hornet" is being moved out of next summer and will instead be released on Dec. 17, 2010, just as the year-end holidays get under way. Michel Gondry begins lensing the Seth Rogen actioner this week, making it virtually impossible for the f/x-heavy film to be ...
A Dog Year.(Movie review)
Sep 01, 2009; Lowry, Brian ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Movie; HBO, Thurs. Sept. 3, 8p.m.) Filmed in New York by Duopoly Prods. Producers, Liz Manne, Frank Doelger; co-producers, Bonnie Timmermann, Jonathan Shoemaker; writer-director, George LaVoo; based on the book by Jon Katz; camera, Frederick ...
Europa ups output Bloch-Laine hired to boost production.(Nathalie Bloch-Laine)(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2009; Keslassy, Elsa ... EuropaCorp co-founders Luc Besson and Pierre-Ange Le Pogam have tapped former StudioCanal production topper Nathalie Bloch-Laine to join the production team and boost the number of films the company puts out each year. Her appointment fits the Gallic powerhouse's mandate to ...
'Lourdes' on a pilgrimage.(Brief article)
Sep 01, 2009; Keslassy, Elsa ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Venice Film Festival competition title "Lourdes" has found a home in key European territories. The Paris-based Coproduction Office has inked deals with TFM (France), Cinecitta Luce (Italy), NFP (Germany), Lumiere (Belgium), Filmmuseum ...
