Hollywood Highlights

Friday, November 11, 2011

Catching up: Billy Crystal returns as Oscar host

The confusion surrounding the 84th Academy Awards ceremony has cleared and the big event appears to be back on track today. Late yesterday, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced entertainer Billy Crystal would be hosting next February’s Oscar telecast. Here’s the official press release. Beverly Hills, CA (November 10, 2011)– Producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer have […]
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Script deals and sales

Evan Spiliotopoulos to rewrite “Asteroids” for Universal Pictures— This busy screenwriter picks up another big assignment. Universal has hired Spiliotopoulos to rework “Asteroids” based on the 1970’s Atari video game. Original script by Matt Lopez. Spiliotopoulos is repped by UTA. More here on Variety. Chris Shafer and Paul Vicknair’ hired to write “The Girl Who Conned the Ivy League” — Shafer and Vicknair are two […]
Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Talk of the Town: Oscar drama

The Oscar telecast is the biggest event in Hollywood. The 84th Academy Awards ceremony is not until next February, but there is already plenty of real life drama surrounding it. The spark in a firestorm of controversy was lit over the weekend by movie director Brett Ratner who made an anti-gay slur and resigned on Monday as the producer of the upcoming Oscar broadcast because […]
Sunday, October 30, 2011

More runaway production: “Iron Man 3” to film out of state

Another major movie production is saying “adios” to Southern California. Marvel Studios reportedly has agreed to shoot “Iron Man 3” in North Carolina due,mainly to the state’s 25 percent  production tax credit, according to Deadline.com The first two installments of the Iron Man franchise made over a billion dollars worldwide. Both were shot in Los Angeles. The “Iron Man 3”  production will be heading […]
Friday, September 30, 2011

Celebrity book deals: Courtney Love & Arnold Schwarzenegger

Catching up on some celebrity book deals. Rocker Courtney Love has signed a deal with HarperCollins for a “tell-all” memior, according to the publishing  site Galleycat. Love’s untitled memior reportedly will be a no-holds-barred telling of her life from ” childhood to the present day.” Love was married to deceased rock legend, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana. Love has had success with her […]
Sunday, August 21, 2011

“The Help” gets promoted to top spot at box office

“The Help” got a boost to number one at the domestic box office with a weekend estimate of $20 million. The comedy-drama is about a young southern white woman and her relationship with the black “help” during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Octavia Spencer star. “The Help” is based on the 2009 bestselling novel […]
Thursday, August 11, 2011

Kardashian sisters’ new novel coming out

The Kardashian sisters, Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé are about to become published novelists. That’s right. The reality show divas have written a novel and it’s called “Dollhouse,” according to the publishing industry website, Galleycat. A fan of the sisters came up with the title and reportedly is featured in the book, which hits store shelves this November first. More here.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011

A call for a probe into a Hollywood movie about Osama bin Laden

A New York congressman is calling for an investigation into what kind of “cooperation” the Obama administration provided for a movie about the take down of 9-11 terrorist mastermind, Osama bin Laden. Director Kathryn Bigelow is partnering with screenwriter Mark Boal on this bin Laden film. Apparently, the filmmakers are being accused of getting “special access” and classified information —  allegedly including data on […]