matt.mitovich

Kristen Bell's To-Die-For New Role

Where isn't the erstwhile Veronica Mars these days? Besides acting villainous on Heroes and spreading rumors as Gossip Girl's narrator, she's been signed to play one of the leads in the upcoming video game Assassin's Creed. The game's publisher won't reveal her character but does admit that she'll play a pivotal part in the bit that takes place during the Crusades in the 12th century. I'm thinking Joan of Arc? History buffs, back me up on this. Tuesday's news was written by Ben Katner.

Tue, Nov 6, 2007

Shia LaBeouf Busted at... Walgreen's?!

Dude, nobody needs chapstick that bad! Over the weekend, the Transformers goody two-shoes  who cemented his squeaky-clean rep by telling Entertainment Weekly that he'd never, ever wanna be a Lohan  was arrested for trespassing at a drugstore in Chicago. —Ben Katner

Tue, Nov 6, 2007

Striking Writers' Hit The Office and Others Hard

Get your scorecards handy, because this is only the beginning of the strike-related fallout you'll wanna keep track of:  Although a location manager for CBS' Cane hired two security guards to help out while the show shot scenes from a long-completed script at a Hollywood cafe, 20 angry writers who were yelling and using a bullhorn brought the production to a halt anyway.  ABC has postponed the debut of its Sex and the City rip-off, Cashmere Mafia to sometime after Jan. 1. The Nov. 27 Dancing with the Stars finale is being expanded to two full hours to fill the void.  Sometime-writer Steve Carell didn't report to The Office yesterday, Rainn Wilson called in sick, and B.J. Novak and Mindy Kaling, who are members of the show's writing staff, were on strike. As a result, only two scenes managed to get shot.  Ellen DeGeneres bailed on her show yesterday "in support of her writers," her publicist said. Ben Katner

Tue, Nov 6, 2007

Thanks to the Patriots, CBS Scores Big

Prime time, shime time. The first Sunday of November sweeps' top program aired in the afternoon: CBS' coverage of the New England Patriots/Indianapolis Colts game averaged a ginormous 22.5 household rating and 39 share. Did I say the day's top program? Pshaw. That was actually the best-rated afternoon regular-season NFL game in decades! Natch, those numbers helped 60 Minutes, which did better in the 18-49 demo than it had in almost two years (a 5.0 rating, 12 share), and Amazing Race, which garnered its best premiere demos since '05 (4.2/9). Also of note: Fox's "Treehouse of Horror" episode of The Simpsons scared up a 5.7 rating and a 13 share in the 18-49 demo, its best showing in about four years, and Desperate Housewives, the night's No. 1 show in the baby-faced demo, earned a 7.0 rating and a 16 share. —Ben Katner

Tue, Nov 6, 2007

Movie News: Rock's New Role

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has confirmed for SCI FI Wire that in the upcoming Shazam! movie, he's going to play the villainous Black Adam rather than the heroic Captain Marvel because that's what fans told him they wanted him to do. I had no idea you guys were so powerful. Can you please make sure there won't be a "Game Plan 2"? Please?.... Jennifer Connelly has signed on to star opposite Keanu Reeves in a remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still.... Jeanne Tripplehorn has landed the part of Jackie O in the Drew Barrymore/Jessica Lange adaptation of the docu-turned-Broadway hit Grey Gardens.... Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) and Will Patton (No Way Out) have been cast as the parents of Disturbia hottie Sarah Roemer in the thriller Waking Madison, about a nutjob who locks herself in her apartment for 30 days to cure her mental illness. Taryn Manning has also signed on to play a fellow loony. —Ben Katner

Tue, Nov 6, 2007

Scheduling Scorecard: Women's Murder Clubs Big Shots

Big Shots just doesn't get any respect. On Nov. 15, ABC will yank it so that Women's Murder Club (or, as I call it, Angie Harmon's Matlock) can get a post-Grey's Anatomy sampling. The following week, BS is getting preempted for the return of October Road. Whether Michael Vartan and Co. will finally pop back up in time for the end of sweeps remains to be seen.... The Bachelor: After the Final Rose is bumping Boston Legal on Nov. 20.... Kathy Griffin's Straight to Hell comedy special will air on Bravo on Nov. 29.... Ellen's Really Big Show, a three-ring variety special featuring emcee DeGeneres and everyone from Barry Manilow to Mary J. Blige, will premiere on TBS on Nov. 19. —Ben Katner

Tue, Nov 6, 2007

Scheduling Scorecard: Women's Murder Clubs Big Shots

Nancy Grace Exhausts Stork with Rush Delivery

Two months before her due date, Nancy Grace became the mother of twins, one boy (John David) and one girl (Lucy Elizabeth). On Sunday doctors induced labor because the 48-year-old CNN personality had developed pulmonary edema (that's fluid in the lungs, for those of us who are a few seasons behind on ER), which could have compromised both her and her children's health. Grace is hitched to David Linch, an investment banker, not the Twin Peaks guy. —Ben Katner

Tue, Nov 6, 2007

Nancy Grace Exhausts Stork with Rush Delivery

Forest Whitaker Gives TV an American Gangster

Forest Whitaker and Marc Levin are executive-producing for Showtime Mr. Untouchable, a drama series that will tell the true-crime story of Harlem heroin lord Leroy "Nicky" Barnes (played by Cuba Gooding Jr. in the current box-office hit American Gangster). Whitaker's project has no connection to Ridley Scott's feature, Variety notes, but instead is based on Levin's just-released documentary of the same name. The series will chronicle how Barnes built a wildly successful drug empire in the 1970s, albeit at some expense to his Harlem neighborhood.

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

Forest Whitaker Gives TV an American Gangster

Movie News: Sylvester Stallone's Death Wish, and More

Sly Stallone is in talks to direct and star in an MGM remake of 1974's Death Wish, Variety reports.... Jessica Biel is a small-town receptionist who has wild sexual urges unleashed when she is errantly shot in the head with a nail gun in Nailed. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a congressman who takes advantage of her sex drive (well, yeah) and her crusade on behalf of the bizarrely injured.... Also per the Reporter, Hayden Christensen is the rookie attorney who defended Japanese general Masaharu Homma in the true-story-based Beast of Bataan.

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

Aguilera Acknowledges Pregnancy, More Baby News

Ending weeks and weeks of what we will politely call "speculation," Christina Aguilera tells Glamour she will "enter mommyhood" next year, and that hubby Jordan Bratman is "thrilled!".... Milla Jovovich and her Resident Evil director/fiancé Paul Anderson welcomed their first child together, a girl, on Saturday.... Cate Blanchett is expecting her third child in April, the Oscar winner told reporters on Sunday.

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

Aguilera Acknowledges Pregnancy, More Baby News

Patrick Dempsey, Jimmy Kimmel and More News Briefs

Patrick Dempsey: The E! True Hollywood Story premieres Tuesday at 9 pm/ET.... Jimmy Kimmel Live drew its largest-ever weekly audience  averaging 2.05 million viewers  when Jimmy pulled double duty with his late nighter and as Regis & Kelly cohost.... Wheel of Fortune celebrates its 25th anniversary with a series of themed weeks, beginning today with "Best Friends".... Similarly, Family Feud this week pits WWE superstars such as Ric Flair and Batista against divas like Candice Michelle and Queen Sharmell.

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

Patrick Dempsey, Jimmy Kimmel and More News Briefs

Weeds Keeps Burning for a Fourth Season

Showtime has greenlit a fourth, 13-episode season of its highest-rated comedy series, Weeds, says the Hollywood Reporter. Pending a lengthy WGA strike, the new supply of Weeds will to go into production in April, targeted for a summer debut. In related news, I will be back-blogging Weeds tonight (and it's a rather rollicking episode); my sincere apologies for the "high-atus."

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

Katie Holmes Runs and Runs (But Not from Tom)

Katie Holmes on Sunday morning ran more than half the New York City Marathon in anonymity  that is, until Tom Cruise (with baby Suri in tow) dashed out onto First Avenue (at 96th Street) to give his missus a smooch. Upon completing the race in just under five and a half hours, Holmes told People, "I'm good, but I'm feeling very tired"  as is her entourage of auditors. (It's hard to find Scientologists from Kenya.)

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

American Gangster Shoots Down Box-office Record

American Gangster this weekend earned an estimated $46.3 million at the box office to become the best-opening R-rated crime drama in history. It also represents the best opening weekend for each of its stars, Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington.With $39.1 mil, Bee Movie placed second  largely due to Jerry Seinfeld's refusal to do any press.Rounding out the top five were Saw IV ($11 million), Dan in Real Life ($8.1 mil) and 30 Days of Night ($4 mil).

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

American Gangster Shoots Down Box-office Record

Barack Obama Unmasked on SNL

Fans cheered wildly when Senator Barack Obama unmasked himself at Hillary Clinton's Halloween party in the cold opening of this weekend's Saturday Night Live. (Watch video here.) Obama's short but dignified (and even a little bit funny) SNL turn marked the start of what will surely be the parade of presidential hopefuls to cameo on the late-night favorite, upping their "hip" factor in the process. In the Halloween-themed sketch, cast members dressed as Hil and Bill, John Edwards, Bill Richardson, Joseph Biden, Chris Dodd, Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich. Senator Obama entered wearing a mask of his own likeness, and when he revealed himself as the real Obama, Hillary asked, "You dressed as yourself?" His response was political perfection as he said, "Hillary, I have nothing to hide. I enjoy being myself. I'm not going to change who I am just because its Halloween." Hillary's pained reaction  "Well, thats just grreeattt"  drew big laughs from the crowd right be...

Mon, Nov 5, 2007

Ugly Betty Wedding Gets with the Times

And Wilhelmina would have it no other way, darling. The Sunday New York Times' "Vows" section this week features a (paid) shout-out to the Nov. 8 nuptials of Ugly Betty's Wilhelmina Slater and Bradford Meade. "To prevent excessive press coverage," the venue for the wedding is not specified in the item, "but it will be covered exclusively on"  plug, plug  "the ABC Television Network." Any press requests are in fact directed to "Ms. Slater's personal assistant, Marc St. James."The "announcement" goes on to say that Wilhelmina will be wearing Vera Wang and have no less than Victoria Beckham as maid of honor. For a bit more on how that questionable wedding-party choice pans out, watch for TVGuide.com's week-by-week, day-by-day November Sweeps Highlights special launching Monday morning.

Sun, Nov 4, 2007

"Emotional" Heroes Star Dismissed by Dolphin Hunters

A video circulating on the Internet (watch it here) shows a group of animal-rights activists confronting fishermen in Japan about their practice of hunting dolphins and whales. Among the activists is Heroes heroine Hayden Panettiere, who in tears recalls her encounter with an ill-fated pilot whale, saying, "This baby... kind of looked at us, and the thought that [it] is no longer with us is very difficult."According to the AP, the Japanese fishermen rationalize their pursuit by saying, "Whales and dolphins are traditionally being used [as resources] in Japan" and as such, "We cannot accept an argument simply based on emotional causes."

Sat, Nov 3, 2007

"Emotional" Heroes Star Dismissed by Dolphin Hunters

High School Musical's Vanessa Argues: I Was a Minor!

High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens on Thursday put her best baby feet forward in a bid to make a $150,000 lawsuit go away. Charged with owing outstanding fees to her former lawyer, Hudgens filed a motion  accompanied by her baby-footprinted birth certificate  arguing that she was a minor, all of 16, when she inked her contract with the plaintiff, and thus cannot be held liable. A hearing on the matter has been set for Dec. 5.

Fri, Nov 2, 2007

Movie News: Marsden Beholds Diaz's Box, and More

X man James Marsden is in talks to be Cameron Diaz's hubby in The Box, a horror pic about a box that dispenses a hefty sum of cash  while someone you know dies.... Also per the Reporter, with Night at the Museum's Shawn Levy stymied by scheduling conflicts, David Dobkin (Fred Claus) will direct and Craig Wright (Dirty Sexy Money) will write the big-screen adaptation of The Flash.... Until his port of the vidgame Halo is a go, Peter Jackson is moving ahead with District 9, a live-action sci-fier, says Variety.... Producer Brad Pitt has acquired the graphic novel The Killer (shop Amazon), to be made into a film directed by David Fincher.

Fri, Nov 2, 2007

Lost in Space, Kate Walsh and More Short Cuts

Hammacher Schlemmer is now offering a full-size replica of Lost in Space's B-9 robot, which speaks 511 prerecorded (by the series' Richard Tufeld) phrases and has animated clawed arms. The price tag: $24,500. (Britney just bought three.).... Kate Walsh and Terrence Howard will announce this year's SAG Award nominees Dec. 20 on TNT.... The Today Show site at 4 pm/ET today will Web-premiere the new Spice Girls video.... DotComedy is not pretty. NBC Universal is pulling the plug on its website barely a year after the service launched.

Fri, Nov 2, 2007

Dancing Romance Denied, and Other Love Notes

Freshly dismissed Dancing with the Stars pro Mark Ballas is rebuffing a rumor that he is romantically "en-tangoed" with partner Sabrina Bryan. "Strictly friends," is how he summed up their bond on Thursday's The View.... Despite recent reports linking him with Britney Spears, the primary object of NFL hunk Tony Romo's affections remains Sophia Bush. "She can't believe it's happening so fast!" a pal of the One Tree Hill starlet tells Us.... Carlos Santana and his wife of 34 years, Deborah, are divorcing, says the AP.

Fri, Nov 2, 2007

Dancing Romance Denied, and Other Love Notes

New Knight Rider Driven by Soap Stud

Stick with me here. Former The Young and the Restless heartthrob David Hasselhoff played Michael Knight in the original Knight Rider series. Now, former All My Children heartthrob Justin Bruening  who on his ABC sudser played son to Emmy-winner Michael E. Knight  has been tapped to play the son of Michael Knight in a TV-movie that will serve as a backdoor pilot to a possible Knight Rider reboot.Let me throw you one more nugget: Another onetime AMC cast mate of Bruening's is Las Vegas' Josh Duhamel, who this summer starred in Transformers  and the new Knight Rider will feature a Transformers-like, shapeshifting K.I.T.T.

Fri, Nov 2, 2007