ABC Buys Western From Ron Moore

EXCLUSIVE: The Western genre continues to be hot at the TV networks. In a competitive situation, ABC has bought drama pitch Hangtown, from Battlestar Galactica developer/executive producer Ron Moore and Caprica writer Matt Roberts. Sony Pictures TV, where Moore is under an overall deal, is producing. Described as a Western with a procedural overlay, Hangtown is set in the early 1900s in a frontier town that’s begun rapidly expanding with the coming of the railroad. It centers on three characters: the Marshal, a Matt Dillon/Clint Eastwood type who prefers to solve crimes by his instinct, a young Doctor from the East Coast who is interested in using the new field of forensics to solve crimes, and a young woman writer who is trying to sell dime novels to the publishing houses in New York about crime in the Wild West. Every week the instincts of the Marshal, the science of the doctor, and the young woman’s drive to tell a rousing good yarn to her editors, combine to solve crimes in a wide-open, lawless town. This is the second drama Western project ABC has bought this development season, along with David Zabel’s Gunslinger, from ABC Studios. Additionally, TNT recently gave a cast-contingent pilot order to Bruce C. McKenna and Danny Cannon’s Gateway, set in the 1880s. Also interested in Hangtown was NBC, which ordered Western Reconstruction to pilot last season. Starting the current TV renaissance of the genre was AMC, which has the 1860s series Hell on Wheels coming up. Last season, Moore had fantasy/cop drama pilot 17th Precinct in contention on NBC.

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HAMMOND: Can Indies Steal Academy awards Again?

Formerly in Pete Hammond’s 3-part series: Woodsy Allen, Kaira Pitt, ‘The Help’ Among Early 2011Oscar Challengers Clooney, Clint, And Spielberg Put Major Galleries Back To Oscar Race After searching last weekat the possibility honours landscape for that first eight several weeks of 2011, after which at what Oscar-pedigreed filmsthe major galleries have available for fall and holiday slots, it’s time for you to use the independent world, that has become this type of key pressure within the season. For that majors, Academy awards are nice although not vital. For that indies, award methods are key and may mean the main difference from a hit filmor amiss. With little-pictures-that-could Best Picture triumphs recently like Crash, The Hurt Locker and this past year’s The King’s Speech, indies have shown by using less cash to invest,a knowledgeable campaign along with a little luck, the best film in the proper time can grab the gold. Since the arrival of screeners evened the playing area to some degree, it’s been another ballgame. And also the indies make use of the fall festival circuit (beginning next weekat Venice, then Telluride and Toronto) tostart in the honours buzz.Already this season, indies likeWoody Allen’s Night time In Parisand Terrence Malick’s Cannes Film Festival champion The Tree of Existence are seriously within the search for individuals valued Best Picture slots and, as detailed through the soon-to-be-launched challengers from thecompanies below, they might not be alone among upstart pictures this season. Here’s a glance at what possible award contendersfrom the indie sector is going to be coming our means by the final four — and many crucial — several weeks of the season. The Weinstein Company Using The King’s Speech this past year, the Weinsteins obtained their first Best Picture triumph because the heady times of Miramax. Do they really get it done 2 yrs consecutively with another British bio, The Iron Lady? Nearly everybody concurs Meryl Streep’s still-unseen portrait of Margaret Thatcher within this 12 ,. 16 release will put her in strong contention to finally win that thrd Oscar, but could the film score too? Time will inform, even though it would appear to become a better shot within the Actress category. Harvey Weinstein were built with a large Cannes triumph using the crowd-pleasing black-and-whitened French-producedsilent pictureThe Artist (November 23),also it could have a similar impact on the Academy audience it did using the French, therebyleading to 1 of individuals Best Picture slots, despite the fact that the film maynot have sufficient “gravitas”to sneak in. The Weinsteins will receive a good ideawhen it launchesin the British-speaking world in a few days about the fest circuit. Certainly Cannes Best Actor Jean Dujardin is a superb wager for any nomination regardless of what. Having a busy fall, thecompany is wishing Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh — who play Lana Turner and Laurence Olivier during my Week With Marilyn (November. 4) — will land actingkudosalongwith Rob Fiennes (who also directed) within the title role from the contemporary Shakespeare adaptationCoriolanus (12 ,. 2).As his mother, Vanessa Redgrave isextraordinary inside a beefy supporting turn.She should get the gowns for that honours circuitready now. Honours prospects are anybody’s guess for Madonna’s latestdirectorial stab,W.E. (12 , 9), which using its story including Wallis Simpson is unquestionably different for that pop star. And That I hear there's the potential of a late-season being approved run for that Jennifer Garner filmButter that's been referred to like a Capra-esque comedy/drama occur the cutthroat realm of competitive butter carving. Fest auds might find this primary, as well as their reaction will most likely weigh heavily in Weinstein’s decision to go in that other cutthroat competition. Focus Features Having a sterling cast including Gary Oldman as British spy George Smiley and recently minted Oscar champion Colin Firth, this latest adaptation of John Le Carre’s novel, Mess Tailor Soldier Spy, might be butter itself for Oscar voters.There’s plenty of buzz already around Oldman’s performance, that the world might find if this premieres in the Venice Film Festival at the begining of September, adopted carefully by its Sept. 16 opening in England. American audiences will need to wait considerably longer when i have just learned Focus has switched its statesidedebut in the formerly introduced date of November. 18 towards the heart from the holiday (and Oscar) season 12 ,. 9. Focus can also get its Sundance winnerPariah entering the fray in December and it is fully devoted to campaigning it too, particularly because of its 17-year-old star Adepero Oduye, who plays a Brooklyn senior high school student who isn’t precisely what she appears, a minimum of to her more conservative parents. Certainly the prosperity of Precious with Academy votersshould giveFocus hope this could consume a Sundance road to Oscar attention, and certainly Indie Spirits. Fox Searchlight The Fox niche division has loved consistent success using its honours campaigns, landing eight Oscars for Slumdog Uniform and a lot of acting honours, most lately Natalie Portman for Black Swan. Searchlight’s two large approaching fall hopefuls include another Sundance pickup, Martha Marcy May Marlene (March. 21),having a breakout performance from Olsen twin sister Elizabeth Olsen, who they hope would be the Jennifer Lawrence of the year. Then Oscar champion Alexander Payne (for Searchlight’s Sideways) has returned using the George Clooney Hawaiian-set family dramaThe Descendants (November. 23), which together with The new sony’sThe Ides Of March gives Clooney a 1-two punch. Buzz is strong and that we’ll observe how it plays in Toronto, and before that probably I'd guessin Telluride, where Payne is really a favorite and frequent customer. Searchlight also finally has Kenneth Lonergan’s (You Are Able To Rely on Me) 2006 dramaMargaret inside a limited opening Sept. 30 after many years of lawsuits apparently over a preliminary three-hour running time. Having a cast including Oscar those who win and nominees like Anna Paquin, Matt Damon and Mark Ruffalo you don’t wish to discount it, but nobody appears to become whispering Oscar Oscar on that one. The new sony Pictures Classics Fall is definitely prime time for that now-20-year-old SPC, and co-presidents Michael Barker and Tom Bernard appear to become banking on world-class company directors to place them in the Oscar race, where they appear to become each year. There’s Pedro Almodovar’s creepy but terrificThe Skin My Home Is (March 14), that ought to have won him something at Cannes but didn’t (you've made an error, jury). There’s David Cronenberg’s period dramaA Harmful Method (12 , 9), a filmwith tremendous buzz that premieres in Venice coming to nearly almost every other fall fest. There’s Roman Polanski’s adaptation from the Tony winning comedyGod of Carnage, now simply re-named Carnage, having a cast including Jodie Promote, Kate Winslet, John O’Reilly and Christoph Waltz. With celebrity company directors like this in your slate, who needs Woodsy? (Oh wait, they've him too). Another SPC film, Take Shelter, that was a great Prize champion throughout Experts Week in Cannes, originates from director Shaun Nichols, whose only previous feature was Shotgun Tales. But it's just like accomplished as the best work from the of SPC’s other company directors this season and may figure heavily within the Indie Spirits this season otherwise beyond. Summit With one Best Picture (The Hurt Locker) already in the youthful history, Summit’s large fall play is obviously The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning Part 1 (November 18), the start of the finish for that Twilight series. Whilst not an Oscar contender unless of course director Bill Condon is really a miracle worker, it will figure heavily much like its predecesors did within the Teen Choice, People’s Choice and MTV Movie Honours if that's any consolation. But additionally for their summer time releaseA Better Existence, Summit may find serious honours traction within the honest,touching and remarkably funny cancer drama50/50 (Sept. 30),that provides award-level work from Frederick Gordon-Levitt and Anjelica Huston amongst others. It will play well in Toronto and may be coming to some niceawards-season run if audiences aren’t switched off through the subject material. Kerbside Points of interest Using their first Best Pic nominee Winter’s Bone and Foreign-Language and finest Actor nominee Biutiful, Kerbside introduced this past year it had been a significant new indie pressure within the Oscar race (additionally, it won Best Documentary Feature for that Cove 2 yrs ago). This season its hopes are pinned about the Sundance pickup Margin Call (March 21), starring some terrific stars including Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons inside a riveting dramathat may hit too near to home for stock exchange traders. Their ace player though might be recent pickup Albert Nobbs, by which Glenn Close apparently hits it from the park like a lady who must disguise herself like a guy to be able to survive in 1800s Ireland. 5-time nominee looks to become in the race the very first time since 1988, particularly if the performance works out to become just like the development buzz among commentators who still haven’t seen it. Toronto is probably their first chance. Lionsgate Still a genuine indie, Lionsgate hasn’t had the opportunity to duplicate its 2005 Best Picture heist with Crash, among the all-time great Oscar-campaignsuccess tales. This past year they provided a buy of Rabbit Hole at Toronto and switched it around rapidly to obtain Nicole Kidman a Best Actress jerk. Failing that type of quick step again, their hopes appear to ride about the Sept. 9 discharge of Warrior, a difficult drama from director Gavin O’Connor occur the field of mma that's been getting plenty of traction at the begining of tests. Some are evaluating it positively, even much more,towards the Fighter.If the distrib finds it lucrative enough to goon an exciting-out campaign remains to appear, but stars Joel Edgerton and Tom Sturdy are wonderful and Nick Nolte his or her n’er-do-well father could land a supporting jerk regardless of what transpires with the film, that will unquestionably draw strong word-of-mouth. Film District Graham King’s new FilmDistrict boasts Peter Schlessel and Bob Berney on its executive team, some early boxoffice achievements like Insidious and Soul Surfer, and today might have the stuff for any couple of Oscar nominations. Using its Cannes-winning (Best Director for Nicolas Winding Refn) noirDrive (Sept 16), Ryan Gosling (who's also in Ides Of March) is excellent and Albert Brooks is definite supporting fodder because he isuncharacteristically cast like a heavy. Experts continues to like it, which can keep it studying the season. Their other contender originates from Julia Roberts, who makes her directorial and writingdebut using the Bosnian War-set drama Within The Land ofBlood and Honey, and Berney informs me she's the real thing and states he was very impressedwhen he saw the film.But we’ll have to hang about until 12 ,. 23 to discover because the film isn't presently set hitting the fest circuit. Certainly Oscar voters have compensated stars-switched-company directors, before from Warren Beatty and Robert Redford to Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood and Mel Gibson. Could Jolie function as the first female actingsuperstar to drag off a nomination? Oscilloscope Theboutique company arrived a few nominations for that Messenger last year and today get their Cannes competition pickupWe Have To Discuss Kevin (12 ,. 2) to hold their banner this season. Oscar champion Tilda Swinton’s performance was significantly recognized, even though filmdeals with heavy subject material (her boy continues a higher school shooting rampage) and also got mixed reaction. It won no awards, although Swinton was certainly deserving.Together with her serious credin the Academy’s stars branch, she could arrive in an exceedingly competitive Best Actress race. Magnolia Magnolia is charging ahead using its superbly shotend-of-days drama Melancholia evendespite the unfortunate Hitler and Nazi rantings of their director Lars von Trierat his Cannes press conference.Inspite ofhis being banned in the festival, the film still continued to win Best Actress there for star Kirsten Dunst and Magnolia plans in the very leastto make sureawards voters rememberher and never what of her director. Magnolia silently qualified the film already inside a one-week run deep within the San Fernando Valley. Relativity When Lionsgate stated they couldn’t release the film this season, Relativity came to save the day of Machine Gun Preacher(Sept 23) and therefore are planning their Torontounveiling ofthe true story of the former drug addict switched Christian who helps save orphans in East Sudan. Relativity is wishing to achieve traction for star Gerard Butler’s fine performanceina filmthat is a lot more subtle and affecting than its title might indicate.

Craig Ferguson on Anthrax Scare: 'It Would be a Very Frightening Situation' (Video)

Craig Ferguson made jokes about the Late Late Show Tuesday concerning the mysterious whitened powder which was delivered to his L.A. office at CBS TV Galleries earlier on that day.our editor recommendsCraig Ferguson defends Letterman (video)Craig Ferguson getting into CBS primetimeDavid Letterman Turns into a Jihadist Target "It's an unpleasant day at the studio," he stated. "Today someone sent here an envelope full of whitened powder. I stated, 'I'll test drive it for you personally if you would like.' I've got a special test which i carried out between 1979 and 1992." "It had been an extremely frightening situation. It had been really frightening. My main objective, obviously, was for my staff. By staff I am talking about penis," he added. The Connected Press reported that a couple of Ferguson's staffers arrived to connection with the whitened powder, that was regarded as anthrax, but was later seen to be harmless. "Within the past, if a person sent me whitened powder, I'd have stated, 'Yeah!' I'd have snorted it, wound up in a party at Elton John's house, or rehab, or both. But nowadays, whitened powder within the mail isn't good. I known as CBS security, plus they stated, 'We're busy.' I stated, 'I am an individual friend of Came Carey's.' Plus they stated, 'Send someone over immediately.' " He added, "This is actually the most attention this show has become since ... this is actually the most attention this show has become." The whitened powder showed up just days after it had been revealed David Letterman -- who also airs on CBS -- was named a jihadist target after making jokes the 2009 summer time about al Queda. Both shows are created by Letterman's company Worldwide Pants. Related Subjects Craig Ferguson David Letterman

D23: Director Andrew Stanton talks John Carter

"How would you like to be in the desert where it's 100 degrees and you're on stilts wearing pyjamas?" That's the question Andrew Stanton, director of John Carter, asked Willem Dafoe and Samantha Morten and yet both stars still signed up to the production."I struck gold," the director said about the actors, including Taylor Kitsch who plays John Carter.Dafoe and Morten play Tharks, green-skinned aliens who are much taller than Carter's civil war soldier - hence the stilts and those pyjamas, which were actually motion capture clothing.This isthe first live-action movie for Stanton (Finding Nemo, Wall-E), who said hefirst came into contact with Edgar Rice Burroughs' character through Marvel's 1970s comic-books and had even drawn the hero at a young age.A glass-half-full D23 audience member might think Disney is getting a little twitchy about the film, given the amount of time it spent previewing it at D23.That included four clips from the film, which saw John wake up on Mars and witness the birth of baby Tharks; his early meeting with Tars Tarkas (Dafoe) and the realisation that the lesser gravity allows him to jump like a superhero; an encounter with a dog-like creature while imprisoned in the Thark nursery; a heart to heart with a humanoid princess who is about to be forced into an arranged marriage; and a Star Wars-type battle scene with Tarkas and Carter sentenced to death by angry white ape in an arena.It all looks good (particularly the CGI dog) and from the early footage there's a serious, sombre tone to the film. UK audiences will have to wait until 9 March 2012 to see if it hangs together as a finished movie.

Gaultiero Jacopetti dies at 91

Filmmaker Gaultiero Jacopetti -- the guy behind documentary "Mondo Stick" and it is sequels, cult classics that collected good examples from the creepy and bizarre from all over the world -- died Wednesday in Rome. He was 91."Mondo stick" (the title means "A Dog's World") opened in the 1962 Cannes Film Festival, where it came accolades and was nominated for that Palme d'Or. Jacopetti known as the film, that they created using his collaborators Franco Prosperi and Paolo Cavara, a "shockumentary." Such exploitation documentaries (e.g., the "Faces of Dying" series) will also be now referred to as mondo films.Jacopetti used both narration and also the juxtaposition from the frequently-disturbing material -- what he known as "shock cuts" -- to attain an ironic effect. In a single scene, for instance, a parent in New Guinea, surviving within the dying of her child, was proven nursing a piglet. The following scene portrayed the slaughter of pigs within the same region for any carnal feast.The "Mondo Stick" theme song, "More," by Riz Ortolani and Nino Oliviero, was nominated to have an Oscar.The film divided experts within the U.S. but would be a large hit worldwide, paving the way in which for sequels including "Mondo Stick 2." He also made "Women around the globe,Inch that was charged with taking advantage of women, and "Africa Addio," that he was charged with collusion with murders to get the violent footage within the film.A massive quantity of copy cats adopted in Jacopetti's actions, most of the them while using word "Mondo" within the game titles of the photos. Russ Meyer made "Mondo Topless," and John Water arrived on the scene with "Mondo Trasho." There is also "Mondo Bizarro" and "Mondo Weirdo." A few of the films with "Mondo" within the title weren't even documentaries and were simply benefiting from the recognition of Jacopetti's work. Like his copy cats, Jacopetti was accused by a number of staging the bizarre occasions portrayed in the films.In 1971 he switched his focus on antebellum South -- he and Prosperi made "Goodbye, Uncle Tom," about slavery within the U.S. The framework device: Jacopetti and Prosperi made an appearance onscreen as filmmakers who travel in time.Jacopetti was created in Barga, Italia. He would be a magazine editor along with a maker of newsreels before he switched to movies.His last film, that they authored but didn't direct, was "Fangio -- Una vita a 300 all'ora," a documentary concerning the F1 racecar driver Juan Manuel Fangio helmed by Hugh Hudson. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Disneys D23 Expo Brings Young Stars into the Spotlight

Disney Channel The stars are shining bright at Disney. A weekend expo will let fans meet the young stars of the Disney Channel, and also get a sneak peek of some of the studios' biggest upcoming features. This weekend's D23 Expo in Anaheim, CA, will have a variety of panels, sneak peeks and exhibits for the Disney fans and media. One of the major events on Saturday will feature a panel, hosted by Walt Disney Studios chairman Rich Ross, president of production Sean Bailey and CCO of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios John Lasseter. The presentation will feature sneak peeks at upcoming projects including Disney's The Muppets, John Carter, Disney-Pixar's Brave, Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and more. PHOTOS: Disney Generation's New Rising Stars For the first time, Marvel will attend the expo, and the upcoming film The Avengers will also have a presentation at Saturday's panel. The expo, going on Aug. 19-21, also gives Disney fans a chance to know the new generation of Disney stars. With Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato moving on from the mouse house, other stars are taking over. The weekend expo will also include presentations from the Disney Channel's new popular shows including Good Luck Charlie, Shake it Up and A.N.T. Farm. Read more about the new stars of Disney in THR's photo gallery here. The Walt Disney Company Disney Channel

Kakushi toride no san akunin - The last princess

Makabe Rokurota (Hiroshi Abe), a loyal retainer of Princess Yuki-hime (Masami Nagasawa), has been commissioned to transport Yuki-hime and Akizuki's ample treasury of gold bars safely to the politically stable Hayakawa. They disguise themselves as humble firewood peddlers, hiding the gold bars inside the logs they are carrying so as to pass safely through roadblocks set up by Yamana, which is under the control of Takayama Gyobu (Kippei Shiina), whose attire bears a striking resemblance to that of Darth Vader. Along the way, Rokurota comes across Takezo (Jun Matsumoto) and Shimpachi (Daisuke Miyagawa), who have escaped from forced labor in a gold mine. Takezo and Shimpachi first frown on joining the journey, but eventually agree to help out in the hope of escaping Yamana's oppression and cashing in on the gold reward Rokurota offers them.

James Cameron's Lightstorm Employs Kathy Franklin To Steer 'Avatar' Brand

La (August 9, 2011) __ Kathy Franklin continues to be named Leader of Franchise Development at Lightstorm Entertainment. Introduced by James Cameron and Jon Landau, thehire signifies Lightstorm's commitment, together with Last Century Fox, to building thefranchise and make of AVATAR past the traditional certification and retailing avenues. Cameron said, Anticipating the exponential development of the Avatar world, we lookedfor somebody that may lead a team which will cement Avatar like a first class brand across allplatforms and marketplaces. Kathys experience, combined together with her drive and vision for which Avatar canbe, made her the best choice. Franklin is really a seasoned leader having a proven record of creating and applying industry-leadingbranding, growth and communications methods. As V . P . of Global Studio FranchiseDevelopment for Disney Consumer Items, she brought the methods that drove the DisneyPrincess, Disney Fairies, Cars and Toy Story franchises while building integrated close ties withfilm, television, an internet-based divisions from the Wally Disney Company. Before that, Franklin was VicePresident of Disney Worldwide Outreach, throughout which she went marketing and communicationsfor all corporate philanthropic outreach and charitable giving. Franklin's first position at Disneywas Director of Disney Learning Partnership, a philanthropy centered on supporting creativeapproaches to learning and teaching, which she assisted launch as well as for which Franklin createdDisneyLearning.org and executive created "The Creative Class Series," an award-winningset of videos and educator guides. "Getting Kathy onboard at Lightstorm further reflects the initial creative and businessrelationship shared by Fox and Lightstorm about the Avatar franchise," stated Oren Aviv, TwentiethCentury Fox's Chief Marketing Officer, and Tony Sella, Fox's Chief Creative Officer. "Jim Cameroncreated an incredible world of mass appeal and we are certain that with Kathy in position, thispartnership will further take advantage of the tremendous possibilities natural within this awesomeproperty." "Kathy has proven herself to become a forward thinker who offers a chance to bring new ideasto existence," stated Landau. "With Kathy's leadership, together with they and infrastructureat Fox, I am confident our franchises will grow in innovative methods stay consistent with thequality and styles in our films." "Right from the start, Jim and Jon have seen AVATAR like a franchise whose storytelling hasglobal achieve and impact across multiple platforms. I anticipate leading this exciting new phasein the evolution from the franchise and also to dealing with they at Last Century Fox to driveAVATAR's ongoing growth," stated Franklin. Franklin depends at Lightstorm's Santa Monica headquarters.

Ratings: A Solid Launch for Bachelor Pad Season 2

Bachelor Pad The three-hour launch of Bachelor Pad's second season won Monday night in viewership (6.87 million) but finished second among the industry-prized 18-to-49-year-old demo, scoring a 2.2 rating, according to Nielsen overnight figures. Compared to last year, the program stayed even in the demo and grew in total viewers by 8 percent from 6.37 million. And it was No. 1 among all the female demos - all in all, a respectable start. But it failed to measure up to last week's two-hour Bachelorette finale, which averaged 9.50 million viewers while scoring a 2.7 - itself down 29 percent from last year. The ABC show - in which former The Bachelor and The Bachelorette contestants hook up and backstab each other to win money - was bested in the demo by Fox's prime-time tandem of Hell's Kitchen (6.51 million viewers, 2.7 rating) and MasterChef (5.52 million, 2.3). MasterChef's Joe Bastianich blogs: It's sink-or-swim time In the final prime-time hour, Bachelor Pad outdid reruns of CBS' Hawaii Five-0 (4.65 million, 1.0) and NBC's Harry's Law (3.84 million, 0.6). CBS stayed with the usual summer reruns of its comedies in the first two hours - two episodes of How I Met Your Mother (4 million and 4.13 million), Two and a Half Men (5.44 million) and Mike & Molly (4.89 million). Catch up with the latest TVGuide.com news On basic cable, The Glee Project's Sunday episode pulled in 912,000 viewers - its biggest audience ever.

'Transformers' Beats 'Harry Potter' at Japanese Box Office