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Runner
Runner movie review and trailer
Marvel
Studios keen to bring female superhero to big screen
Marvel
movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2, The Avengers et
al boost popularity of Marvel slot games
Marvel
superheroes to tour the US: The Marvel Experience
Tour
Fast
6 exceeds projections - 25th May 2013
Dwayne
Johnson Talks G.I. Joe, Teases Hercules and Fast 6
The
Rock VS CM Punk pro wrestling news; Dwayne Johnson
Hollywood movie news
The
Rock to return to next WWE RAW; Building towards Royal
Rumble and WrestleMania 29 in New York
G.I.
Joe: Retaliation
Hollywood
movie news wrap-up: Marvel Entertainment news and
Marvel Comics movie themes
The
Amazing Spider-Man™ 2 begins production in New
York
Dwayne
‘The Rock’ Johnson Brings His Action-Oriented
Brand to TV: New Reality Show 'The Hero' Poised to
Premiere in 2013
Marvel's
The Avengers Tops 2012 Box Office Takings
Superhero
movie line-up for Australia in 2013
James
Bond VS Goldfinger showdown voted greatest 007 movie
moment
Bond
film Skyfall breaks $1bn record at global box office;
Global and Australian box office numbers
Leonardo
DiCaprio and Jonah Hill: Django Unchained co-stars
on Sydney Harbour
James
Packer going to Hollywood to help make movies; Big
money still talks in showbiz -
13th December 2012
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News
Pro
wrestling - Movie and Hollywood connection; Sports
Entertainment news and rumours
Pro
Wrestling; Movie connection; Hollywood and Entertainment
news; Spider-Man Inspired By Masked Luchadors; WWE
news...
The Media Man
agency has another piledriver and bodyslamming look
at the connection between Hollywood movies and professional
wrestling. WWE and Marvel comic book - Spider-Man
fans once again cheer on their masked heroes and some
even get the guts to play the Spider-Man online games,
in this web of extreme entertainment.
Spider-Man
Inspired By Masked Luchadors...
In
The Amazing Spider-Man, which hit theaters Tuesday,
Peter Parker is inspired to create a mask after winding
up inside a wrestling ring surrounded by posters of
masked luchadors. It is not the first wrestling connection
in the movie franchise as in the premiere film released
in 2002, Peter enters a wrestling tournament and squares
off against a character portrayed by the late Randy
"Macho Man" Savage.
Spider-Man
movie has strong ties to pro wrestling; "Macho
Man" Randy Savage connection...
The Amazing Spider-Man was released during the Independence
Day week and so far the flick has performed well.
The
Spider-Man franchise is awesome, it is something else
which has pro wrestling fans excited about the latest
reboot of the superhero franchise.
In
the original film, starring Tobey Maguire, we witnessed
Spider-Man enter a pro wrestling match in order to
win a sum of cash which would allow him to purchase
a used car he thought would impress Mary Jane.
Initially,
Peter Parker wanted to be called The Human Spider,
but Bruce Campbell put a stop to that nonsense and
sent him down to the ring as Spider-Man.
As
if seeing the man most famously known as Ash Williams
wasn't enough, we were treated to a second cameo within
seconds.
Spidey
was facing off against Bonesaw McGraw, who was played
by the late, great Randy "Macho Man" Savage.
It
was here where Spidey first faced off against a foe
who put him through hell.
This
cameo by the legendary "Macho Man" was warmly
welcomed by wrestling fans who had missed Savage.
The new film, featuring Andrew Garfield as the webby
one has gone back to its roots and given Peter Parker
another wrestling-based inspiration.
At
one point in the film Peter Parker is walking away
from a group of hoodlums he had just schooled when
he falls through a roof, landing in the middle of
a wrestling ring.
When
he stood up and looked around he saw what provided
him with the inspiration for his signature mask.
The
small arena was filled with signs featuring Lucha
Libre masks, one of which catches Parker's eye more
than the others.
The
mask is red with dark-colored designs surrounding
the eyes, nearly an exact copy of Spidey's look sans
the webbing all over the face area.
Director
Marc Webb made a lot of wrestling fans happy by inserting
another inspiration for Spider-Man which is based
in the world of pro wrestling.
Wrestling
fans and comic book fans have a large cross over audience
which these film makers have smartly plugged into
- further casting their own web, to help increase
net profits of course.
Comics and pro wrestling have a few elements in common.
They both feature people dressed in fancy outfits,
have signature attacks / finishing moves, and have
a good VS evil theme for the most part.
Both
Marc Webb and Sam Raimi chose to use wrestling as
a launching pad for Peter Parker is also another point
that wrestling fans are high on.
This
latest part of the Hollywood - pro wrestling connection
has gone over well and may even lead to the wrestling
themes been further cast out in the Hollywood movie
web and the movie industry wrestles attempting to
get back some of the glory and money it used to make.
Marvel
Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Thor 2,
The Avengers Et Al Boost Popularity Of Marvel Slot
Games...
The Media Man agency reports that Marvel themed online
slot games across the network, and featured at partner,
PartyCasino,
are boosting the popularity of the superhero themed
online slot games. Bwin.Party currently offers The
Incredible Hulk, Thor, The Amazing Spider-Man and
Fantastic Four, with more expected to soon hit the
popular gaming and entertainment website destination.
WWE
Keen To Work With UFC Fighter; Ties To C.M Punk And
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin?...
Various news media has reported that WWE is interested
in working with 35 year old UFC fighter "The
American Gangster" Chael Sonnen. There's been
mixed reports on whether Sonnen will one day try his
hand at pro wrestling, post MMA, following the lead
of 'King Mo' who now wrestles in TNA Wrestling. Oh,
did you hear... Batista may soon be returning to professional
wrestling WWE style - watch this space, and be sure
to check him out in the new flick 'The Man With The
Iron Fists', where he plays 'Brass Body'.
Back
to the talented big mouth fighter Sonnen...he has
ties to WWE as he is mates with WWE Champion CM Punk.
Punk was ready to accompany Sonnen to the Octagon
for a fight several months back but that was nixed.
Sonnen
is also close to WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin. Austin
has been bringing Sonnen out to his Broken Skull Ranch
in Texas to help him with strength and conditioning
training.
Ric Flair may soon return to WWE; Next Monday on Raw?...
Various
pro wrestling websites and "dirt sheets"
are reporting that folks close to Ric Flair are stating
that he will be returning WWE at the October 29th
RAW from Charlotte, North Carolina. Many fans are
of course hoping this rumour is true.
The
general understanding is that he will
be getting involved in the storyline with AJ Lee,
Vickie Guerrero and John Cena.
Flair
will be a most welcome addition to the roster which
is thin on depth at the moment, with big name iconic
wrestlers such as The Rock, The Undertaker and Brock
Lesnar nowhere to be seen...but we can hope that upcoming
PPV 'Hell In A Cell' may offer a few surprises. Lots
of internet buzz about a potential return to the WWE
from Dave Bautista, but nothing's 100% until it happens.
Hardcore
and casual fans are excited about seeing Flair work
with his modern day equivalent of sorts - Dolph Ziggler.
How cool what that be? You can smell the improved
TV ratings already.
WWE needs to pull a rabbit or two out of the hat,
and the likes of Flair, Bautista, The Rock and The
Undertaker are just what the doctor ordered. 'Stone
Cold' Steve Austin is also strongly rumoured to make
some WWE appearances in 2013, which may or may not
result in a fued or match with CM Punk.
Lot's
of rumours around and all up it should make a more
entertaining that usual Raw, and new WWE program,
Main Event, would also do well to see legendary wrestlers
return.
Yes
fans, there's a lot of buzz and excitement around
at the moment, so let's hope that the WWE powers that
be do what is required to get some legendary wrestlers
back on the active roster.
One more thing for us Ryback fans, and there's millions
- Feed Me More!
News
Stan
Lee Media sues Disney for billions over Marvel copyright
et al - 10th October 2012
Pop
culture and comic icon Stan Lee fighting Disney re
Marvel; Not a Marvel video game!; Stan Lee takes gamble
on legal fight with Disney...
Stan
Lee Media (SLM) has launched info a multi-billion
dollar legal lawsuit VS entertainment and media giant
Disney claiming the entertainment king does not own
the rights to the Marvel Comics characters depicted
in its films. Huge claim, we know.
The
company, which Stan Lee himself is no longer associated
with, claims that the comic book icon signed over
the rights to the superheroes and villains he created
to its corporate predecessor in a deal inked back
to 1998.
SLM
claims that an amended version of that agreement was
filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission
in March 2000 - that's almost a decade before Disney
acquired Marvel Entertainment, online publisher Deadline
reports.
The
company is seeking $5.5 billion in damages, an amount
calculated based on the profits from movies such as
The Avengers, X-Men: First Class and Thor, as well
as the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
These are some of the most popular movies of the current
Hollywood era.
"Defendant
The Walt Disney Company has represented to the public
that it, in fact, owns the copyright to these characters
as well as to hundreds of other characters created
by Stan Lee," read SLM's complaint.
"Those
representations made to the public by The Walt Disney
Company are false."
Disney,
which acquired Marvel in a massive financial deal
in 2009, is yet to respond to the allegations.
Stay
tuned to the Media Man agency for more news as it
comes to hand true believers.
News
Movie,
celebrity, entertainment and gaming news: James Bond,
WWE, Wrestling...
- 6th October 2012
Entertainment
news, WWE, Hollywood, Australia, Sin City, Las Vegas,
gaming and more...
What
an exciting time for entertainment, movies, gaming
and wrestling fans. WWE
new angles and storylines, plus Main Event hits Australian
TV, Bwin.Party
has just released a new game, and you must check out
the new Marvel Heroes online game. We've also got
Hollywood box office reports, pro wrestling
scoops, celebrity news and lots more. The Media
Man agency with the latest...
James
Bond new documentary...
The
highs and lows of the James Bond film franchise have
been brought into the spotlight with the release of
a new documentary.
'Everything
or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007' charts the story
behind the movie franchise and has been launched to
coincide with the 50th anniversary of the films.
Director
Steven Riley told Reuters he was pleased the producers
let him delve into the story behind the stories.
'I
wanted to tell a real truthful history of the franchise,
so I had requested that we could tackle some of the
tricky areas, some of the hard luck story of Bond
and they were thankfully very open about that,' he
said.
'There
were many obstacles in the way, there were changing
times to cope with changing generations, tastes, there
were changing relations - well personal struggles
and personal relationship failures and really how
did the films survive despite those obstacles in the
way was something I really wanted to get to the root
of.' Riley said.
The
documentary interviews five of the six official bond
actors with the original Bond, Sean Connery, a noticeable
absence after turning down interview requests.
Former
Bond girls mingled with the biggest names in James
Bond at the premier screening in London earlier this
week.
Among
the guests were the children of the pioneering producers
of the film franchise Albert 'Cubby' Broccoli and
Harry Saltzman.
'Well
you know it's our baby and we feel very very protective
over the Bond franchise, it's something our father
started over 50 years ago and he had great passion
for it and we have just been carrying the flame.'
Cubby's daughter Barbara Broccoli told Reuters.
'Everything
or Nothing' was released in theatres on Friday October
5, branded 'Global James Bond Day'.
Adele's
Bond theme tops iTunes...
Adele's theme for the new Bond film Skyfall has shot
to the top of the iTunes chart within hours of its
release today.
The
track is hotly tipped to become the first 007 theme
to make it to number one in the official chart when
it is announced on Sunday.
The
song - also called Skyfall is her first new material
since her career exploded following the success of
second album 21 early last year.
Vince McMahon returning to WWE television on Monday's
Raw (U.S Report)...
WWE
head Vince McMahon will return to WWE television on
Monday's Raw. WWE said Friday that McMahon will deliver
a "State of WWE Address."
Potential
topics hinted at by WWE include Raw GM A.J. Lee's
job performance, McMahon's future in WWE (storyline-wise),
and the fictional Board of Directors.
McMahon's
return to television follows a typical pattern. When
WWE Raw TV ratings slide to alarmingly-low levels,
which was the case this week, it usually leads to
McMahon returning to television.
The
pattern was in-play this spring when Raw slipped below
a 3.0 rating during the post-WrestleMania lull period,
which prompted McMahon to return to television. Raw
then received an artificial boost leading into the
Raw 1,000 episode.
Following
the Raw 1,000 episode on July 23, Raw's TV ratings
sunk back to the 3.0-ratings level. Raw then dipped
below a 3.0 rating the previous four weeks against
football before tumbling to a 2.5 rating this week.
WWE News: WWE and Ion release "Main Event"
TV ratings info - how did the premiere episode fare?
(U.S Report)...
WWE
and Ion Television issued a press release Thursday
evening announcing they are pleased with the ratings
performance for the premiere episode "WWE Main
Event" on Wednesday, October 3, which featured
WWE champion C.M. Punk vs. World Hvt. champion Sheamus.
The
press release did not provide an official TV rating,
but noted average male viewership was 876,000 and
average female viewership was 518,000. It translates
to an average audience of about 1.4 million viewers.
Additional information provided:
-
Main Event drew the "highest male audience in
the last year" on Ion Network in males 18-49
(422,000 viewers on-average) and males 25-54 (444,000
average viewers).
-
Main Event ranked #4 during its time period among
males 18-34 & males 18-49. The show ranked #5
in males 25-54.
-
WWE and Ion claim Main Event topped the MLB regular
season finales on ESPN and ESPN2 among key male and
adult demos.
-
Main Event topped most female cable networks with
the average female viewing audience of 518,000.
WWE
CEO Vince McMahon commented in the press release:
"Our partnership with ION Television is off to
a strong start. We expect our fans will make WWE Main
Event the number one show on the network as they have
done for WWE programs with all of our other TV Partners.”
The
press release also slipped in a note about "Main
Event" being comparable to the U.S. presidential
debate between U.S. president Barack Obama and Mitt
Romney, which immediately followed WWE's show. The
release headlines: "Obama vs. Romney was not
the only match viewers tuned into on Wednesday night."
The Rock on: Dwayne Johnson’s new competition
series, The Hero; U.S auditions...
Dwayne
"The Rock" Johnson will headline and
executive-produce a new competition series, The Hero,
set to premiere in the summer of 2013 on TNT. Producers
are going on a seven-city U.S. casting call for the
series, searching for “competitors who display
the physical, mental and emotional strength to participate
in a battle of brains, brawn and morality, resulting
in one winner being named the ultimate hero.”
The
show will host Dallas auditions on Oct. 20 at the
new Studio Movie Grill, 13933 N. Central Expressway
at Spring Valley Road, Far North Dallas. For more
information, visit theherotnt.com.
The
show will “bring together 10 ordinary people
in a house, and then assign them various missions
… [it] will challenge the competitors to prove
that they’ve got what it takes to be heroes,
pushing them to the limits to see what they are willing
(and able) to overcome, undergo or sacrifice for their
fellow contestants,” the press release continues.
“Johnson will serve as The Hero‘s mentor
and motivator. … In a unique twist on the reality-competition
format, The Hero will incorporate social media into
every facet of the show, from pre-production and casting
to on-location shooting and live broadcasts. Through
the show’s interactive digital platform, viewers
will be able to vote each week for the contestant
they consider to be the most heroic.”
Off beat festival fires up...
A
Tasmanian festival combining music and art has been
launched with a drumming performance in Hobart's River
Derwent.
A
drummer wearing zebra print gumboots strode into the
water in front of Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art,
to launch the upcoming MONA FOMA Festival.
She
played for about ten minutes on a drum kit in the
river.
The
upcoming festival will include Indian bongo drums,
theatre performances and quirky art installations
all over Hobart.
Curator
Brian Ritchie is expecting a big crowd and says last
week's Helpmann Award for best contemporary music
festival in Australia is likely to boost numbers.
"We
have seen steady growth of visitors coming for MONA
FOMA and we would expect that to increase," he
said.
The
festival runs from the 16th to the 20th of January.
Former WWE Superstar Dave Bautista weighs in for MMA
fight...
Former
WWE Superstar Dave
Bautista weighed in at 265.5 lbs. for his MMA
debut tomorrow against Vince Lucero (20-22), who weighed
in at 300 pounds. The two heavyweights will square
off at "Real Pain" from The Dunkin' Donuts
Center in Providence, R.I.
"I'm
doing this for my love and passion of MMA, not for
personal reasons," Bautista said of the fight.
"I'm tired of talking about myself at this point,
but I want to thank everyone who has supported me
and supported this event."
Batista
also spoke to "The Nick and Artie Show"
to promote tomorrow's fight, you can listen to the
interview below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eKZAfZ-nq8&feature=player_embedded
Arnie admits cheating with Stallone's ex-wife...
Arnold
Schwarzenegger had an affair with Brigitte Nielsen
shortly before she wed Sylvester Stallone.
The
philandering actor has revealed he had a steamy fling
with the actress - who was once married to his good
pal Sylvester - during the early years of his relationship
with now ex-wife Maria Shriver.
Arnold
has confessed to having an affair with the Danish
actress while he was dating Maria in his new autobiography,
according to US gossip website TMZ.
He
wrote that he and Brigitte became close while filming
'Red Sonja' together in 1985; the same year she married
Sylvester.
The
'Terminator' film star's admission comes more than
a year after Brigitte originally blew the whistle
on their "outrageous affair" in her own
memoir 'You Only Get One Life', in which she claimed
she didn't know he was living with Maria at the time.
Maria
is said to be furious with the actor for doing an
interview about her reaction to his new book on '60
Minutes' because she did not receive an advance copy
of his tell-all and was not contacted by the show
to give her own reaction before their interview.
He
has also reportedly told Maria that she should not
expect a share of the profits from his autobiography,
'Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story', even
though much of the book is about their relationship.
Arnold
recently admitted his affair was the "stupidest
thing" he ever did in his marriage.
He
said: "I think it was the stupidest thing I've
done in the whole relationship. It was terrible. I
inflicted tremendous pain on Maria and unbelievable
pain on the kids."
WWE Studios 'The Day' positive movie reviews...
"The
Day" hit theaters this week and the positive
reviews are in on WWE
Studios and Anchor Bay Films' chilling horror
film about a day in the lives of a group of people
living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Variety
by Marc Graser
"
'The Day' is one of the most effective horror movies
made in years, successfully delivering a feeling of
dread that so many films in the genre lack these days,
along with a unique story and captivating characters.
Douglas Aarniokoski doesn’t take the easy out
in his direction and never relies on camp or amps
up the gore quotient to thrill audiences. He’s
an impressive filmmaker who is worth keeping an eye
on."
HollywoodLife.com
by Russ Weakland
"WWE
Studios and Anchor Bay Films have always delivered
films all over the spectrum and with 'The Day' they
continue to entertain us with a story of humanity
torn by war, destroying civilizations and most of
all life on earth, which makes those that are the
survivors realize they must do whatever it takes to
stay alive." ...
"So
if you want to go out and see a film that will make
you think and give you some jumps and chills 'The
Day' is your movie. You will not be disappointed!"
The
Los Angeles Times by Mark Olsen
"Luke
Passmore's screenplay is stingy with his explanations
about who these people are or how the world came to
be in this state, and that turns out to be one of
the film's greatest strengths." ...
"As
Mary, the most recent enlistee to the tribe, [Ashley]
Bell has a secretive reserve and steely resolve."
The Rock 'foils would-be burglars in London'...
The
Rock has apparently foiled an attempted burglary
in London
The
actor - also known as Dwayne Johnson - was working
on his new movie Fast and Furious 6 in Hackney when
he spotted the group of would-be thieves as they attempted
to break into vans.
Johnson,
who was dressed as an FBI agent for filming, was said
to have abandoned a fight scene mid-take in order
to confront the group.
"It
was so funny. The Rock looked like an action hero
because he had his flak jacket on and an FBI badge
in his hand," an insider recalled to The Sun.
"All of a sudden, there was loads of gunfire
and this giant dressed as a copper was about to mow
them down. The lads jumped out of their skin and scarpered
down the canal path and left the crew in peace.
"It
was like the Only Fools [and Horses] 'Batman' sequence
- they must have thought they were in the middle of
a real-life action movie."
The
source also quipped that the crew have suggested that
actor - wrestler Johnson should be single-handedly
responsible for security on the Fast and Furious 6
set.
The
source said: “It was so funny. The Rock looked
like an action hero because he had his flak jacket
on and an FBI badge in his hand. All of a sudden there
was loads of gunfire and this giant dressed as a copper
was about to mow them down. The lads jumped out of
their skin and scarpered down the canal path and left
the crew in peace.
“It
was like the Only Fools Batman sequence — they
must have thought they were in the middle of a real-life
action movie.
“Now
the crew are joking that they should drop security
and just have The Rock do it.”
Dwayne Johnson wards off burglars...
London
- Dwayne
'The Rock' Johnson scared off a gang of would-be
thieves on the set of his latest film.
The
40-year-old actor spotted a group of youths breaking
into a warehouse in Hackney, East London while filming
The Fast and the Furious 6 and stormed off the set
mid-scene - dressed in full FBI agent costume - to
chase the burglars away.
A
source told The Sun newspaper: "It was so funny.
The Rock looked like an action hero because he had
his flak jacket on and an FBI badge in his hand.
Quick
thinking
"All
of a sudden there was loads of gunfire and this giant
dressed as a copper was about to mow them down.
"The
lads jumped out of their skin and scarpered down the
canal path and left the crew in peace. They must have
thought they were in the middle of a real-life action
movie.
"Now
the crew are joking that they should drop security
and just have The Rock do it."
The
former wrestler managed to prevent the theft of expensive
equipment thanks to his quick thinking and his impressive
6'5" frame.
The
Fast and the Furious 6 also stars Vin Diesel, Paul
Walker and singer Rihanna, who is set to play a villain
in the popular film franchise.
Box Office results for new WWE movie...
WWE
Studios's latest movie, "The Day," drew
an estimated $10,100 in its first full weekend in
theaters. The movie, which was shown in 12 theaters,
ranked 52 out of 54 movies tracked over the weekend,
according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. (Pro Wrestling Torch)
- U.S news report
No Holds Barred star facing prison time...
Tommy
"Tiny" Lister, who was back in the spotlight
this summer when WWE re-released "No Holds Barred"
on DVD, faces up to five years of prison time for
alleged mortgage fraud. Lister, who played Zeus in
the WWE movie, pled guilty to "conspiring to
commit mortgage fraud" in federal court on Friday,
according to a TMZ report.
According
to the plea agreement, Lister and other individuals
conspired to obtain mortgages worth $5.7 million,
costing lenders $2.6 million. Lister was also accused
of defrauding lenders of another $1.1 million. Lister
is due back in court in September for sentencing,
which could be up to five years in federal prison.
David
Otunga talks WWE and movies...
WWE
wrestler David Otunga said in a recent interview that
he hopes to eventually advance to the top of the card
in WWE. "I am very goal oriented and want to
see my character go to the top. I am hoping to have
the creative freedom to do that and let it pan out
the way I would like. It’s exciting for sure
and hopefully in the next few weeks my character continues
to grow," Otunga told ChicagoNow.com promoting
Raw.
Otunga
also discussed his recent movie role for WWE Studios's
"The Hive." Otunga said, "The film
was unbelievably fun because it came to me second
nature. With the WWE, the acting classes, and the
improv I do it was very easy to blend in. The only
major difference was me having to shave. I haven’t
shaved in many, many years but it had to be done and
it helped me get into character."
WWE Interested In Lingerie Football Star...
The
WWE NXT website has added a profile for Summer Rae
and in that profile they acknowledge her past career
with the Lingerie Football League. On a related note,
WWE apparently has interest in another LFL star -
Zipporah Chase.
NWA
documentary news...
Charleston
Post & Courier columnist Mike Mooneyham's Sunday
column features a review of a new NWA
documentary, "History and Tradition: The Story
of the National Wrestling Alliance," which focuses
heavily on the history and prestige of the NWA World
Title. The story also reviews the current state of
the NWA, which is being re-organized by R. Bruce Tharpe
after buying the rights to the organization. Included
are quotes from PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell
on the history of and state of the NWA and his view
on whether the organization has a place in today's
wrestling era.
WWE News: Jericho details WWE's lack of long-term
planning & day-of-TV-changes in interview on his
2012 WWE run...
In
an interview with the Busted Open satellite radio
show, Chris
Jericho highlighted WWE's lack of long-term planning
and changes on the day of TV tapings, which has been
exacerbated by Raw shifting to three hours, in a review
of his 2012 WWE run.
Notably,
Jericho said he did not find out about his "Contract
vs. Contract" send-off match against Dolph Ziggler
on the August 20 Raw the night after Summerslam until
ten minutes before Raw started.
"I
didn’t know until the day I showed up, actually
ten minutes before Raw started in Fresno that we were
doing this contract vs. contract thing. So, I didn’t
even know this was going to happen. I just figured
I would have a match with Dolph and that would be
the end of it," Jericho said.
"So,
people who think that there is some long, drawn-out,
plan, it really wasn’t. It was about ten minutes
before the show started and I was like 'Oh, we are
doing a contract vs contract thing? Oh okay.' So there
you go, a little special behind the scenes look."
Jericho
also said WWE did not have a plan for his feud with
Dolph Ziggler when it started after the Money in the
Bank PPV in July. Jericho said he pressed for a back-story
to their feud before their strong opening promo.
"I
couldn’t wait to work with Dolph but I needed
a story. What’s the story? They said, 'we will
think of one later.' I said, 'I don’t like that.'
I need to think of one now since I have a promo tonight
with Dolph. We can't think about this next week,"
Jericho said.
Jericho
added, "That’s when I came up with the concept
of everyone was bitching that Jericho never won a
match on PPV... I thought it would be real interesting
to go with the 'you can’t win the big one' scenario.
But sometimes the writers will write 'this old broken
down guy who is on the last legs of his career.' I’m
like, 'Wait a second, broken down? I’m in the
best shape of my life, never been hurt, I’ve
never missed a match...' I wanted to focus on the
storyline of 'he can’t win the big one.' It gave
us a great place to go."
Jericho
has said in recent interviews that he wasn't supposed
to feud with Ziggler in his send-off program culminating
at Summerslam. Jericho expanded on his reaction to
being told he wouldn't be feuding with the other candidates,
Sheamus and Daniel Bryan.
"Originally
I was supposed to feud with Sheamus, and then it was
Daniel Bryan. Then the day of Raw, they said I was
doing something with Dolph. I was like, 'What happened
to Daniel Bryan and Sheamus?' They said it changed
and I was fine with it. I’ve been doing this
long enough that I roll with the punches," Jericho
said.
Regarding
future stars on the roster replacing the old guard,
Jericho talked about the uphill battle that wrestlers
like Ziggler and Miz have in front of them not being
having well-rounded wrestling experience outside of
WWE. Jericho said, "When that light bulb comes
on and they already have ninety percent, but that
last ten percent is what makes you a great performer;
some guys never figure out that last ten percent and
when the guys do, that’s when they become guys
you can base companies around and put in main events."
Specifically
on whether Ziggler can be a future main-eventer, Jericho
said, "Dolph is one of the best guys on the roster,
but he is still learning as are a lot of the other
guys. People say, 'Oh, Damien Sandow is the next guy
or Kofi.' These guys are still learning. In time,
I think these guys will be amazing, amazing performers.
But, right now they are still on their way up the
learning tree. So, yes, I think Dolph is going to
be an amazing performer. Yes, I think the Miz is going
to be a great performer. Lots of guys are getting
into that zone, but they are still learning... It’s
a different world out there right now than the way
it used to be. There is a lot of great, great performers
or potential great performers that are on the way
to getting there." [ FYI: Busted Open with Dave
Lagreca and Doug Mortman can be heard from 2:00 to
4:00 EST on Sirius 94, XM 208, and Sportszone 860
on the Internet ] (Pro Wrestling Torch)
Ric Flair Comments On 'Hangover 3' Campaign And His
Daughter Working For WWE NXT...
We
noted before that fans online are trying to get WWE
Hall of Famer Ric
Flair a cameo appearance in The Hangover 3 movie.
Scott Fishman of The Miami Herald spoke with Flair
this weekend about the campaign and The Nature Boy
is perfectly fine with it.
"Oh
man, I love my fans. So cool they started this whole
campaign. I could play anything, as long as I'm not
the guy getting married."
Flair
also says he's proud of his daughter Ashley, who is
currently working as Charlotte in WWE NXT. Flair said:
"It's
my hope that people see that her accomplishments aren't
a result of me. She's worked extremely hard for this.
It's a very physically and mentally demanding business,
and I really just couldn't be more proud."
You
can check out the full article by clicking here.http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/01/2980014/hangover-suits-wwe-hall-of-famer.html
Ric Flair going through fourth divorce, waiting for
WWE call up...
Details
are scarce at the moment, but Dave Meltzer, in this
week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, reported that
Ric
Flair is currently going through a divorce, his
fourth one, with his current wife, Jacqueline Beems.
Apparently, Flair is the one who filed for divorce
and cited irreconcilable differences as the reason
for their break up.
The
news is unsurprising as less than two months ago Flair
was assaulted by Beems at his home, according to a
local police report. This wasn't the first such incident
during their marriage together, as Beems was arrested
for simple assault on February 21st, 2010 after getting
into a fight with Flair upon their return to their
residence after a night out. They managed to patch
things up after that highly publicised and embarrassing
affair, but obviously the second fight that required
police intervention was the straw that broke the camel's
back.
The
cause of their second fight together never came out
publicly. But Ric Flair still living The Nature Boy
lifestyle and their money problems worsening, what
with Flair losing his job with TNA, were all likely
at least partly to blame. Ric's adultery was at the
heart of his divorce with second wife, Beth; while
third wife, Tiffany VanDemark, quickly "had enough"
of his inability to retire gracefully and lead a more
normal lifestyle with her.
Expect
a fifth marriage in the not too distant future for
Flair, as he obviously has a psychological need to
be in a serious relationship at all times, even though
he clearly finds it difficult to fully commit to a
partner and amend his behaviour to ensure that a marriage
lasts the test of time.
Meltzer
also had the latest on his status with WWE:
There
was talk surfacing of Flair replacing [Vickie] Guerrero
with [Dolph] Ziggler but I don't know how serious
that is. Plus, even though Flair can legally start
with WWE on 9/10, WWE has yet to sign anyone from
TNA since the lawsuit was filed.
This
may explain why Ziggler is currently in a holding
pattern of putting over the likes of Randy Orton and
Sheamus on a seemingly weekly basis. WWE may not want
to pull the trigger on him cashing in the Money In
The Bank briefcase and winning the World Heavyweight
Championship until TNA's lawsuit against them for
contract tampering has been dealt with and Flair can
return to WWE as his manager.
I
have mixed feelings on Flair becoming Ziggler's new
manager. Though it should help Ziggler to be taken
more seriously, there is the risk that he will be
overshadowed by Flair and make it more difficult for
him to get heel heat. At least being managed by Vickie
ensures plenty of boos. Personally, I think Flair
would be much better utilised in an onscreen figurehead
role - what do you think Cagesiders? (Cageside Seats)
Joss Whedon: 'The Avengers isn't a perfect movie'...
Joss
Whedon has claimed that The
Avengers isn't "a great movie".
The
film has met with critical acclaim and outstanding
commercial success, becoming the third highest-grossing
film of all time in just a few months, but Whedon,
the superhero blockbuster's writer and director, is
determined to keep his feet on the ground.
In
an interview with Vulture, the 48-year-old claimed
that the box office numbers became, ultimately, "meaningless".
He
said: "They're large, and you can't really count
that high."
Describing
what his goals were with The Avengers, he claimed:
"I felt like I had a particular mission in making
what I felt was a slightly old-fashioned movie, because
I grew up wanting to make summer movies and wanting
to make superhero movies, and I got to do both at
once.
"I
felt like summer movies haven't been what I remember
them to be, so I felt like I would love to evoke something
that's less hip and ironic and more heartfelt and
character-driven, and apparently, other people cared
about that in a large way."
The
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly creator then
conceded: "I don't think it's a perfect movie.
I don't even think it's a great movie. I think it's
a great time, and I'm proud of it, but for me, what
was exciting is that people don't go to see a movie
that many times unless it's pulling on something from
within, unless there's a need there. That's very gratifying."
Whedon
will oversee a Marvel-produced SHIELD television show
for ABC, before starting work on the Avengers sequel,
due for a summer 2015 release.
The Avengers Crosses $1.5 Billion At Worldwide Box
Office...
While
the re-release of The
Avengers at the U.S. box office might have failed
to break into the top ten Labor Day weekend movies,
it did help The Avengers reach another major milestone.
The Avengers has become the third movie in history
to cross the $1.5 billion mark at the worldwide box
office.
While
retaining its number three position on the worldwide
box office list, The Avengers took in another estimated
$1.7 million over Labor Day weekend, which brought
The Avengers U.S. box office total to $619.5 million
and The Avengers worldwide box office total to $1.501
billion.
Interestingly
enough, The Dark Knight Rises also reached a milestone
today, surpassing $1 billion at the worldwide box
office, which means that combined The Avengers and
The Dark Knight Rises have accounted for $2.5 billion
at the worldwide box office this year. If you add
in The Amazing Spider-Man, which currently sits at
number four on the 2012 worldwide box office list
with $734.9 million, then the total rises to $3.2
billion. It’s definitely a good time to be in
the superhero movie making business.
Jim Carrey joins Kick-Ass 2 cast...
Jim
Carrey has been offered the role of Colonel Stars
in Jeff Wadlow's superhero comedy, director Jeff Wadlow
has strongly hinted.
Director
Jeff Wadlow and creator Mark Millar have hinted that
the 50-year-old funnyman has landed the coveted role
of Colonel Stars in the sequel to 2010's wacky superhero
comedy.
Jeff
tweeted: "6 days till we start shooting... and
we officially have our Colonel. Alrighty f'n then!
@ChloeGMoretz @MintzPlasse @donald_faison #kickass2.
(sic)"
After
Christopher Mintz-Plasse replied asking who his new
co-star was going to be, the original comic book's
author Mark replied: "Clue - he lives with 200
raccoons and parrots, owns the mask of Loki and named
by spielberg as a genius. (sic)"
During
Jim's 1994 film 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective', which
sees him play the titular character, his alter-ego
is a private investigator who specialises in the retrieval
of captive animals.
'The
Mask' star Jim is reportedly a big fan of the original
'Kick-Ass' film by Matthew Vaughn and was being courted
to play the born again Christian superhero, who assembles
a motley crew of superheroes to help fight evil.
The
sequel will see several new additions to the cast,
including 'Scrubs' actor Donald Faison as Doctor Gravity
and John Leguizamo as Red Mist's bodyguard, Javier.
The
comedy will begin shooting this Friday (07.08.12)
and sees Aaron Johnson returning as the lead Kick-Ass,
while co-stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz
and Nicolas Cage are also reprising their roles from
the first film.
'Kick-Ass
2' is set for release in June 2013.
Aussie actors Crowe and Jackman at war...
Russell
Crowe and Hugh Jackman are at war!
According
to various news reports, the actors having been fighting
like catty tween girls while shooting the new Les
Miserables movie.
“They
refuse to be in the same room – trying to get
them to promote a film together is a nightmare,”
a source tells Star magazine.
“They’ve
known each other for a decade, but during this shoot,
any shred of civility was thrown aside. They can’t
stand each other, each calling the other an embarrassment
to the profession.
“Russell
sneers at Hugh’s musical-theater background.
But Hugh says Russell embarrassed his country with
his bad reputation in Hollywood.”
Costar
Anne Hathaway has tried to mend fences, but the actors
won’t budge.
“Producers
hope she can convince them to come to a truce, but
it’s not looking very promising,” said the
source
Idea
of the moment: Crowe VS Jackman at WWE WrestleMania
(Jackman is a known massive WWE fan and has participated
in a physical WWE angle in the past, so here's hoping).
Howzat: Kerry Packer's war on cricket may be missing
Dennis Lillee...
Many
in media and sports circles are now buzzing that the
true founding father of one-day cricket was not Kerry
Packer but Dennis Lillee - yet the TV smash Howzat!
whitewashes him from history, one of the original
World Series directors has revealed.
In
an rocket on Channel 9's ratings blockbuster, World
Series Cricket director Austin Robertson - who also
featured as a character in the mini-series - said
Australians should thank Lillee for creating the one-day
game.
In
response, the show's producers launched a broadside
of their own, claiming they asked Lillee to contribute
but the bowling superstar refused to because he wouldn't
get any money.
Mr
Robertson, who worked closely with the former Nine
king and the rebel team, also defended "the Big
Fella" and said he was not the bully he was portrayed
to be. Nor was the late batting star David Hookes
the simpering and indecisive vacillator depicted in
the show.
Mr
Robertson said Howzat! was great entertainment and
brilliantly produced but riddled with inaccuracies.
"The
producers made a nonsense of the way they treated
the man really responsible for the whole thing - Dennis
Lillee," he said.
"Dennis
was visible enough but he is not given the acknowledgement
for having the idea in the first place, and his contribution
in putting the entire thing together. Other people
have put their hands up for having the brainchild
of WSC but I am here to say that, without Lillee,
it would never have happened at the time.
"Though
Packer was determined to get the precious television
rights, they would never have been delivered at that
time without having the best fast bowler in the world
in his corner.
"Curiously,
the producers of the show, in the curtain-call of
the program, in the segment 'Where are the main players
today,' DKL was again overlooked.
"I
had to ask myself, why did they do that? It was Lillee
who delivered the players and, while it was great
to be playing on the Packer team, without Lillee it
would have never got off the ground."
Southern
Star producer John Edwards, who made the show, hit
back at Mr Robertson. He said Lillee boycotted the
show and "shut down" Mr Robertson after
learning no money was on offer.: "He (Robertson)
was invited. There's nothing more to say really. He
was mad keen on being involved and Dennis got to him
and he was shut down. Dennis wanted money.
"We
tried to speak to everybody and not everybody wanted
to speak. Some people had grievances and grudges.
"(Writer)
Chris Lee tried to involve them as much as as possible
in the story and they chose not to be involved."
Mr
Robertson confirmed he and Lillee had been approached
but declined to take part. He declined to comment
further or say whether money was an issue.
Lillee
could not be reached but he has consistently refused
to comment on Howzat!.
Mr
Robertson praised Mr Packer and revealed the media
tycoon was not as aggressive as the show portrayed:
"The portrayal of Kerry as a constant bully and
user of foul language is far from the truth. He could
bully. I saw him on many occasions rise up like an
out-of-control bull elephant and reduce a grown man
to tears. I heard him swear like a storm trooper when
out of control. But I never saw him chuck a plate
of food.
"I
thought Kerry was in the main a humble man, often
revealing great compassion, a gentle giant who would
talk issues out for hours before making a decision,
and then following it through.
"The
mini-series gave everybody the impression he was a
loud, foul- mouthed bully and we saw precious little
of his other side."
Channel
9 declined to comment however sources at the network
said they felt the show was spot on in capturing Mr
Packer.
Mr
Robertson also rejected Howzat!'s portrayal of friend
David Hookes, who died after an altercation with a
bouncer in Melbourne in 2004.
"David
was not a weak, indecisive and nervous character who
'spilled the beans' to The Age's Peter McFarline."
And
as for his own portrayal Mr Robertson said: "From
birth, and throughout the many years I have enjoyed
on the earth I have never had a moustache."
Prince Harry; casino tycoon Steve Wynn and fun and
games in Las Vegas and beyond...
As
the UK's Daily Mail states it's a rare man who walks
away from Las Vegas with nothing to regret.
Prince
Harry counts the cost of his escapades in Sin City,
he may just be coming to regret the day he ever made
the acquaintance of casino tycoon Steve
Wynn.
Wynn,
the self-proclaimed King of Las Vegas, is the billionaire
owner of the five-star Encore Wynn resort, the opulent
hotel-casino in whose eight-room, £5,100-a-night
suite the prince was photographed playing strip billiards.
Unsubstantiated
reports this week have suggested that cocaine was
snorted in the suite, and that a known prostitute
was among the guests. There are even rumours of a
video tape capturing the night's events. So how did
the third-in-line to the throne come to meet –
even befriend – a septuagenarian gambling mogul?
Steve
Wynn, a flamboyant showman with a surgically-enhanced,
wrinkle-free face, carefully coiffed hair, a volcanic
temper and a trophy wife, is famous for befriending
celebrities whose patronage would be good for business.
Last
November, 70-year-old Wynn was spotted having dinner
with the prince in one of his Vegas steakhouses while
the Prince was enjoying a weekend break from an advanced
helicopter training course in Arizona.
Waiving
the bills of celebrities is common practice in Vegas,
and it remains unclear who paid the estimated £30,000
bill for Harry's recent stay. According to Wynn's
spokesman, the tab was not picked up by either the
tycoon or his hotel.
Is
the prince welcome to return? I can't see why not,'
the spokesman said.
Wynn
is unlikely to be perturbed by Harry's naked shenanigans,
but if drugs do turn out to have been involved, he
may swiftly seek to distance himself from the events.
He may be Las Vegas's most revered casino owner, but
he still has his gambling licence and his reputation
to think about. It is a reputation that Wynn is eager
to protect. He has worked hard to erase the stains
of the past.
Today,
he is widely credited as the man who single-handedly
cleaned up' Vegas and made it into a place in which
Wall Street could invest and young families could
holiday (if parents don't mind their children collecting
the prostitutes' calling cards which litter the pavement).
Yet
for all his denials, Wynn, who is worth $2.5 billion,
has never shaken off accusations that he was linked
for many years to the mobsters who once ruled Las
Vegas.
He
has weathered successive U.S. investigations over
everything from drug-dealing to money-laundering,
and has never been found to have committed any wrong-doing.
In
Britain, the authorities have proved harder to convince.
When he tried to open a casino in London to exploit
the influx of rich Arabs in the early Eighties, Scotland
Yard denied him a licence. But in the desert city
of Las Vegas, he remains a swaggering icon. He has
a reputation for being sophisticated' but that's by
Vegas standards.
This
is a man who bought Impressionist masterpieces only
to hang them on the walls of his casinos; who reputedly
blew his finger off while playing with a gun given
to him by a former Mob hitman, and who boasts that
his wife Andrea has the greatest butt in the world'.
Money
is no object. In 2005, Wynn sank $2.7 billion into
building just one hotel the curved glass and steel
Wynn Las Vegas. He then did the same again a few years
later with the Encore.
So
enamoured is he with the idea of himself as Sin City
royalty that he arranged his wedding last year to
coincide with that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Hollywood
star Clint Eastwood was best man and lingerie model
Caprice a bridesmaid. The reception, held in the ballroom
of Wynn's Encore resort, boasted a 500-strong guest
list which included Sylvester Stallone, Steven Spielberg,
Lionel Richie, Sir Philip Green and Celine Dion.
Each
guest left with a five-inch high replica of the tiered
wedding cake, but it's unlikely Wynn or his rake-thin
new wife enjoyed much of the banquet. Both are vegans,
and the youth-obsessed Wynn, who exists on a diet
of vitamin pills, liquidised walnuts and the occasional
indulgent dribble of olive oil, boasts that he still
has a 32in waistline.
After
years of hard graft and wheeler-dealing, he has earned
the right to behave as he wishes. The son of an East
Coast bingo parlour operator and hardened gambler,
the brash and handsome Wynn Jnr expanded the family
business to Las Vegas with a string of clever investments
and ambitious hustling.
In
the Seventies and Eighties, when Wynn was building
his empire, Las Vegas was full of the mobsters who
had originally built its gambling industry.
Some
say it was impossible to work in the city and not
come into contact with mafiosi, even unwittingly.
Others have suggested that, even so, Wynn had an unusually
large number of brushes with the Mob.
Wynn
himself has vigorously denied any involvement with
the Mob, and none of the numerous law enforcement
investigations for gambling licences have ever concluded
that he worked for or with organised crime.
In
1967, he was with some business associates of noted
mobsters on a private yacht cruise on a lake in Nevada
when a naked young woman somehow fell over the back
of the boat and was chopped almost in half by the
propeller blades. Her death prompted an investigation,
but everyone on board denied having seen the incident.
And
he had trouble with officials in Atlantic City, New
Jersey, in 1986 after investigators discovered mobster
Tony Castelbuono, a friend of Wynn, was laundering
the profits of heroin trafficking at his gambling
tables. Wynn almost lost his gambling licence.
Today,
such tales of the Mob are just water under the bridge.
Wynn has re-invented himself as the business genius
who demolished seedy gambling joints along the Vegas
Strip and replaced them with slick hotel-casinos such
as the Mirage (the city's first 3,000-bed hotel),
the Treasure Island and the Bellagio.
Part
of his success has been his ability to turn on the
charm with important people. But Wynn is notorious,
too, for his temper. In 1991, he reached an out-of-court
settlement for an undisclosed sum with the former
president of Wynn's Golden Nugget casino, who described
Wynn as a womanising, brutal boss.
In
allegations made in documents lodged at court, it
was said that he would get so angry that his eyes
bulged and he started screaming at the top of his
lungs and banging his head on the table'. There was
no admission of liability by Wynn, who denied the
allegations.
His
mother Zelma claims his tyrannical behaviour is the
result of frustration over his failing eyesight. The
tycoon suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive
genetic disease which effectively gives him tunnel
vision by destroying his ability to see peripheral
images. In a dark room, he is completely blind.
His
vision may be failing, but for years he was infamous
for his roving eye, keeping keys to empty rooms at
his various hotels for trysts. He was known to favour
his female blackjack croupiers.
All
that came to a stop when he met the beautiful Mrs
Wynn. Usually described as a British socialite, 48-year-old
Andrea was, in fact, born in New York but, as her
proud husband likes to stress, was raised in England
and France. Tres sophistique.
It
all sounds rather less chic when you learn that the
family moved to France because her father, a wheeler-dealer
named Victor Danenza, fled there in 1976 to escape
an FBI fraud investigation.
Before
becoming the second Mrs Wynn, Andrea had lived in
London with her first husband, Texan banker Robert
Hissom, a former polo-playing friend of Prince Charles.
She
met Wynn in 2008 in St Tropez, where he keeps a yacht,
and the couple began a very public romance. Wynn divorced
his long-suffering first wife Elaine, after 46 years
of marriage, and wed Andrea last year.
Elaine
made around $740 million from the settlement one of
the biggest payouts in U.S. divorce history. The costly
divorce appears not to have troubled Mr Wynn, who
is delighted with his new wife.
It's
like God made a woman for me,' he once said, before
pointing out the part of his wife he most admired
the greatest butt in the world'.
It
all goes to show that money can buy you neither taste
nor manners. Even Wynn's attempts to acquire a collection
of old masterpieces have invited accusations that
he was vulgar and greedily acquisitive.
He
has, since the late Nineties, spent hundreds of millions
of dollars on paintings by Picasso and Degas, Caravaggio
and Titian. He has several times scooped the world's
great galleries at auction, only to horrify the art
world by hanging his purchases in his casinos.
At
70, he shows no sign of slowing down though controversy
continues to dog him. He was until recently embroiled
in a three-year court battle with Joe Francis, founder
of the soft porn video empire Girls Gone Wild.
In
documents lodged at court, Francis claims Wynn threatened
in an email that he would kill him over a $2 million
gambling debt. Wynn is alleged to have written that
he would hit Francis in the back of the head with
a shovel'.
Wynn
denies the allegations and claims no such email exists.
In
Asia, where Wynn now earns 70 per cent of his profits
from the gambling mecca of Macau, a resort on the
South China Sea, he is embroiled in a battle with
a former business partner, Kazuo Okada.
This
week, Okada sued Wynn for $140 million for libel after
each accused the other of paying bribes within the
Asian gambling industry. No amount of black marble
and old masters can hide the sleaziness at the heart
of Las Vegas.
It
is hard to believe Wynn when he claims he could just
as easily have gone into family theme parks if Walt
Disney hadn't done it first. Indeed, it seems about
as likely as Prince Harry settling for free entry
to Sleeping Beauty's Castle rather than a weekend
with his colourful acquaintances in Sin City.
One
ponders if the prince may be planning to visit in
any casino - hotels in the near future, and little
doubt that Australia's The Star or Crown Melbourne
would love to have him. The smart money say's Prince
Harry will no be stepping into any casino in Australia
or anywhere else in the near future, perhaps more
positive PR appearances will be on the cards however.
Bwin.party losing its poker face...
LONDON
(SHARECAST) - Online gaming titan bwin.party says
revenues in the first half of 2012 grew at its casino
and gaming offerings but poker has been hit by strong
competitors and difficulties in southern Europe.
The
group was formed last year by the merger between German
outfit bwin Interactive Entertainment and British
firm PartyGaming and still has co-Chief Executives
Norbert Teufelberger and Jim Ryan.
On
a pro forma basis (comparing the results of both companies
before the merger), total revenue increased by 3%
to €410.0m (2011: €398.0m). This was achieved
despite an 11% increase in gaming taxes so that the
pro forma “clean” earnings before interest,
tax, depreciation and amortisation increased 13% to
€92.3m (2011: €81.9m). This is better than
the forecast of €89m made by analysts at Peel
Hunt.
Bwin.party
has also had to take a nasty one-off charge of €31.5m
after the Spanish authorities contacted all of the
major online gaming operators making clear any online
operator that had ever accepted customers from Spain
had an obligation to pay Spanish taxes.
The
group offers four online “experiences”:
sports betting produced revenues of €128.1m in
the first half, versus €125.7m in 2011; casino
and games delivered €139.7m, against €124.3m
in the prior year; bingo was down from €33m to
€31.5m; while the weakest performance was from
poker,
which fell from €104.9m to €96.4m.
In
a joint statement, Ryan and Teufelberger said they
were "determined to return [poker] to growth
through execution of a detailed plan that includes
pooling our poker liquidity as well as repositioning
our flagship PartyPoker
brand.”
The
interim dividend has been increased by 10% to 1.72p
per share although the company warned that net gaming
revenue since June has fallen 8% as the end of the
Euro 2012 Championships and a late start to the Bundesliga
hit takings.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment: PartyCasino gets
new 'Under the Sea' slot game...
Check
out PartyCasino
via the Media
Man network for more on this exciting new slot
game which can be played for free or played for money.
Bwin.Party is one of the most financially stable gaming
companies on the planet and is listed on the London
Stock Exchange. They also high security and high excitment
online poker, sports betting and more.
New Trailer For Marvel Heroes..
Gazillion
Entertainment is proud to show off a new trailer for
Marvel Heroes. The new trailer announces 3 new playable
heroes in the game – Daredevil, Punisher, and
Squirrel Girl. The trailer made its debut at the Marvel
Heroes panel at PAX 2012. The panel featured Gazillion
President David Brevik (one of the creators of Diablo!),
legendary Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate
Spider-Man! Avengers vs. X-Men! And) and Marvel’s
mighty VP of Games Production TQ Jefferson. If you
look closely, you’ll also see a bunch of villains
were also revealed in the trailer, including Mr. Fisk
the notorious crime lord.
Website:
http://www.youtube.com/marvelheroesonline
About
Marvel Heroes...
Marvel
Heroes is a FREE-TO-PLAY action-packed massively multiplayer
online game created by David Brevik, the visionary
behind Diablo and Diablo 2. Set in the iconic Marvel
Universe, Marvel Heroes combines the core game-play
style of Diablo and MMOs with the expansive library
of heroes from the Marvel Universe. In the game, players
can collect and play as their favorite Marvel Superheroes
(including Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine, Hulk, Spider
Man, Captain America and many others). Team up with
friends and try to stop Doctor Doom from devastating
the world with the power of the Cosmic Cube in a story
crafted by comic-book super-scribe Brian Michael Bendis.
The Top 10 best MMA fights of the rest of 2012...
There
are plenty of exciting fights to look forward to before
2013. Here’s a look at our top 10 (barring injuries):
10.
Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le (UFC on Fuel TV 6, Nov.
10 in Macau)
This one isn’t as much about the fight as it
is about the significance of the event – the
UFC’s first in China. Neither of these guys is
currently in their prime, but they always give crowd-pleasing
performances. Le, a native of Vietnam, should have
a massive Asian following.
9.
Eddie Alvarez vs. Patricky Freire (Bellator 76, Oct.
12 in Windsor, Ontario)
Alvarez might have dropped the Bellator title last
year to Michael Chandler, but he’s still one
of the top 15 lightweights in the world. This also
could be his last Bellator fight with his contract
expiring – don’t be surprised if he’s
in the UFC in 2013. Explosive knockout artist Freire
will be a game opponent.
8.
Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson, UFC flyweight
title (UFC 152, Sept. 22 in Toronto)
Don’t blink. These are two of the fastest guys
in MMA and both challenged for the bantamweight title
before the UFC created its flyweight division. This
bout will determine the company’s first-ever
flyweight champion and these are legitimately the
top two guys in the world at 125.
7.
Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson (TUF 16 finale, Dec. 15
in Las Vegas)
There’s very little chance this one leaves the
first round. Carwin and Nelson love to slug it out
and after coaching against one another on “The
Ultimate Fighter” they probably won’t be
too friendly. It’ll be nice to see Carwin, a
former heavyweight top contender, back in the cage.
6.
Daniel Cormier vs. Frank Mir (Strikeforce: Mir vs.
Cormier, Oct. 27 in TBA)
This might be a Strikeforce fight, but it has UFC
implications. Mir, the former UFC heavyweight champion,
takes on Strikeforce champ Cormier in somewhat of
a crossover matchup. But Cormier will be in the UFC
right after this fight courtesy of Strikeforce's heavyweight
division being disbanded and a win here puts him on
path for a title shot in 2013.
5.
BJ Penn vs. Rory MacDonald (UFC on Fox 5, Dec. 8 in
Seattle)
The trash talk has already been fun between the two,
but things will really heat up when they enter the
Octagon. Think of this as something of a passing of
the torch fight. Penn, in the twilight of his career,
will put up a strong challenge against the young lion,
but the multi-faceted MacDonald is nearing superstardom
in the welterweight division.
4.
Benson Henderson (c) vs. Nate Diaz, UFC lightweight
title (UFC on Fox 5, Dec. 8 in Seattle)
This could easily be a Fight of the Year candidate
if it goes how it’s supposed to. Neither of these
guys gives an inch – both Henderson and Diaz
are perpetually moving forward. A win here, against
a superior standup fighter in Diaz, would put Henderson’s
name among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the
world.
3.
Jose Aldo (c) vs. Frankie Edgar, UFC featherweight
title (UFC 153, Oct. 13 in Rio)
Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Aldo was supposed
to defend his title against Erik Koch, but Koch had
to pull out with an injury and his loss is the fans’
gain. Edgar was the UFC lightweight champion for more
than a year and his last two losses were by the slimmest
of margins. Aldo, meanwhile, is a buzzsaw – one
of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
This is, indeed, a superfight.
2.
Georges St. Pierre (c) vs. Carlos Condit, UFC welterweight
unification (UFC 154, Nov. 17 in Montreal)
It seems like it’s been forever since St. Pierre
has fought. One of the best MMA fighters of all time
has not competed in more than a year and a half due
to injuries, including a torn ACL. He returns to face
red-hot Carlos Condit, who is coming off a win over
Nick Diaz in January. St. Pierre, a dominant champ,
has never faced anyone with the combination of speed,
athleticism and technique that Condit has.
1.
Junior dos Santos (c) vs. Cain Velasquez, UFC heavyweight
title (UFC 155, Dec. 29 in Las Vegas)
This
time, we’ll get the incredible battle of wills
that we were promised last year. Velasquez lost his
title to dos Santos last November in just over a minute
via stunning knockout. To make matters worse, it was
the UFC’s first show on Fox and the company took
undeserved criticism for the quick, flash KO.
Who
knew that dos Santos-Velasquez wouldn’t be a
war? This one will make up for it, closing the year
on a huge high note – the two best heavyweights
in the world trading in the center of the cage. Only
one will be standing at the end. (New York Post)
News
Australian
And Hollywood Entertainment, Celebrity and Gaming
News; Jackman, Crowe, WWE.. - 20th March 2012
Hollywood
And AussieWood Celebrity News, Wrestling, WWE Et Al
- 13th March 2012
Marvel
Entertainment and Marvel Studios news: Avengers, Amazing
Spider-Man, Captain America - movies, games and auction
- 8th March 2012
The
Expendables Expendables
2 The
Great Gatsby Television
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THE
TERMINATOR SATURDAY
NIGHT FEVER HIGH
NOON
Thor
Thor
2 The
Amazing Spider-Man Amazing
Spider-Man
The Incredible Hulk The
Hulk
Fantastic
Four Captain
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News
Entertainment
news, WWE current and future legends, NWO, Hollywood,
Australia, Sin City, Las Vegas, Olympics, gaming and
more... - 30th July 2012
Kevin
Nash teases NWO - New World Order return...
Kevin
Nash, who was likely joking, teased an nWo reunion
on his Twitter account recently, writing, "A
lot of you wanted an NWO reunion,there will be one.As
you know we only come in take over mode.Stay tuned!!!"
The message was then re-tweeted by TNA Executive Eric
Bischoff.
Nash later wrote, "Rock will never walk out of
the Rumble with the belt we got Phils back... Sorry
@CMPunk we got your back!!!!"
Nash
also stated that Punk would be the leader and that
the nWo army would be there "to protect the gold."
Wrestling legend Rey wants Pacquiao-Floyd in WWE ring...
During
Rey Mysterio's tour stop in Manila, Philippines, Mysterio
teased a mixed tag match with top boxing stars Manny
Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who "competed"
at WrestleMania 24 four years ago. “I love Manny.
In fact, Manny, if you’re watching right now,
I’m inviting you to join forces with Rey Mysterio
in the WWE to take on “Money” (Floyd) Mayweather,"
Rey said on Manila TV, playing off Mayweather and
Pacquiao unable to come together on a dream boxing
fight. "I know you don’t need me to take
him on but this is just a teaser: me and you versus
him and Alberto Del Rio."
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and 'Iron' Mike Tyson at
WWE Summerslam weekend function...
WWE
Hall of Famers "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
and Mike Tyson are scheduled to attend a Summerslam
Weekend function in Los Angeles, according to WWE
announcer Jim Ross. Ross wrote in his latest blog
on jrsbarbq.com: "If you see me wandering around
L.A. Summerslam weekend, I'm there for a major, THQ
function at the Grammy Museum the night before the
PPV. Among those scheduled to attend the private affair
are @steveaustinBSR and @miketyson, among many others."
WWE Announcer Legend Jim Ross Blog Update...
WWE
Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with his latest blog
about Monday's 1,000th episode of RAW, here are just
a few highlights:
RAW
1000: "Memorable week especially kicking it off
with RAW1000 in St Louis. No guarantees that any of
us will be around for RAW2000 so I particularly enjoyed
my experiences Monday night.
"The
reality of the matter is this...it is highly unlikely,
thanks Gorilla, that exact collection of performers
will EVER be under the same roof again. I look back
upon my attendance at RAW1000 as a privilege and am
grateful to have had the opportunity to see so many
old friends that have meant a great deal to me over
my long career."
Inducting
Mick Foley in the WWE Hall of Fame: "@RealMickFoley
when asked who would induct him if/when Mick goes
into the WWE HOF mentioned Terry Funk and yours truly.
While I would love to honor Mick on that special occasion,
there is no way that I would ever put myself in the
same category with Terry Funk. Terry mentored Mick
and treated Mick like a son. While I'd love to induct
Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy into the WWE HOF, I think that
Terry Funk is the best choice. However, I stand ready
if called upon."
If
CM Punk would reform the nWo: "A follower on
@JRsBBQ on Twitter asked if I thought @CMPunk would
reform the nWo. I have no idea if this topic is any
thing more than speculation based on my friend Kevin
Nash having some fun with the subject on Twitter.
Bottom line is that I don't know but I would be surprised
if Punk headed up a faction at this time because he
seems to be such a solitary man. The only way that
I see that ever happening at this stage of Punk's
career is if he had complete control on who comprised
the group."
Pro Wrestling giant Great Khali has tumor removed...
WWE
wrestler Great Khali (Dalip Singh) had a tumor removed
on Wednesday, which will put him out of action for
2-3 months. The tumor was on Khali's pituitary gland,
which caused him to increase in height to over seven-feet-tall.
However, if left untreated, the tumor could have been
fatal, according to WWE's chief medical director,
Dr. Joseph Maroon. It's the same issue that affected
Andre the Giant. Surgery was performed at UPMC Presbyterian
in Pittsburgh, Pa.
TNA Video: Funny or Die Olympic training featuring
Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam...
TNA
stars Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam are featured in Funny
or Die video. The theme is Angle returning to the
Olympics with RVD as his trainer. You can check out
the video at Funnyordie.com/videos/636c3d08e1/olympic-trials-with-kurt-angle?playlist=featured_videos
‘Squirrelly’ move puts U.S. wrestler on
map...
LONDON
— It began as a goof — two brothers horsing
around, dreaming up exotic wrestling moves straight
out of the Vince McMahon WWE handbook and trying them
out on each other.
The
move has since gone viral as a YouTube sensation,
become a nickname and, before the 2012 London Games
are over, it might become part of U.S. Olympic lore
— a highlight burned into our minds forever.
Ellis
Coleman and his older brother, Lillashawn, used to
wrestle with each other at their high school outside
of Chicago when they would dial up crazy moves to
use on each other.
The
best of them was called the “Flying Squirrel.’’
Ellis never forgot it, and now has turned it into
a cottage industry for himself.
Coleman,
at age 21 the youngest member of the six-man U.S.
Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team, has used the move
about a dozen times in competition.
Perhaps
the highest profile time he used it was in last year’s
Junior World Championships to come back and beat his
opponent in the semifinals. ESPN ranked the move third
on its “Best of the Best Highlights’’
for 2011.
“It’s
been crazy,’’ Coleman said yesterday. “Every
time someone sees it, kids are reaching out to me
on Facebook and Twitter asking me to show them the
move.’’
In
the words of Coleman, one of a host of athletes at
these Olympic Games representing the New York Athletic
Club, here’s how the move is executed: “You
snap the opponent’s head down, leap over him
and, as you land on your feet, you grab his waist,
pull him over, pick him up and throw him down.’’
In
Greco-Roman wrestling, the competitors get points
for their various moves. Five points is the most you
can get for one move. Coleman said he has used the
move about a dozen times and usually gets at least
three points for it.
He
first unveiled it out of desperation in a match he
was losing, stunned his opponent with it and went
on to win it.
Coleman
said he likes to use the move as an element of surprise
and isn’t sure if he will use it in the Olympics.
“If
I’m losing, though, you’ll definitely see
it,’’ he said. “It’s a risky move.
It’s a spur-of-the-moment thing. It’s so
sudden you can’t stop it. I always pictured myself,
even in the Olympic setting and losing in the finals
match, third period with 15 seconds left, hitting
the ‘Flying Squirrel’ and everyone going
crazy. I still picture it.”
Though
Coleman’s teammates chide him for the move, they
also embrace his guts for using it.
“They
should probably put him on medication for even trying
that,” teammate Justin Lester said jokingly.
“He’s crazy for doing it, but that’s
what’s going to make him good in the long run.
You’ve got guys like him who are innovative and
aren’t afraid to wrestle.’’
“It’s
definitely a move of desperation,’’ said
Dremiel Byers, the elder statesman and heavyweight
of the Greco-Roman team at age 37.
“It’s
his wild card. It lets the opponent know he’ll
do anything to win.’’
U.S.
Wrestling Greco-Roman coach Steve Fraser said Coleman’s
flash has “brought a lot of attention to wrestling
and Greco. He’s talented, hungry and young …
and a pleasure to work with. He’s a very coachable
kid. We love him.”
The
“Flying Squirrel’’ craze reached such
a pitch that Coleman recently bought himself a live
flying squirrel pet and named him Rocky, who is about
45 days old and eats lot of apples and seeds.
“They
bond with their owners,’’ Coleman said.
“He sleeps during the day and is very nocturnal,
so I’ll take him out of his cage and he’ll
crawl on me and fly to the curtains. Eventually, when
he bonds with me, I’ll be able to take him out
in my pocket and he’ll stay there without flying
away.’’
Coleman
dreams of flying away from these Olympics with some
hardware. Something gold, perhaps. (The New York Post)
NSW govt investigates 'floating casino'...
The
NSW government is investigating whether cruise company
P&O operated an illegal floating casino off the
NSW coast.
Hospitality
Minister George Souris on Wednesday said a government
authority was investigating an allegation that passengers
could play blackjack, pontoon, poker and roulette
on a cruise that left Sydney on Friday night.
The
cruise ship also had 40 poker machines onboard and
let passengers charge $5000 on their credit cards
for gambling, News Ltd reported.
"I've
asked the Office of Liquor and Gaming to investigate
whether a casino operation was under way in NSW territorial
waters or whether gambling operations were under way
in commonwealth waters," he told reporters in
Sydney.
"It
may be that NSW jurisdiction was breached, it may
be that the commonwealth jurisdiction was breached.
It may be even that both were breached."
He
said NSW had no jurisdiction beyond 12 nautical miles
from shore.
"Those
are international waters," he said.
"In
international shipping after the 12-nautical-mile
limit it opens boats to gambling but also to duty-free
liquor sales."
James Packer to speak at tourism conference in Canberra...
Billionare
James Packer will be the drawcard for hoteliers, resort
operators and owners attending a tourism conference
in Canberra in late October. Mr Packer will open the
Tourism & Transport Forum's annual "Leadership
2012" conference.
The
gaming tycoon is a major tourism player given his
Crown resorts in Perth and Melbourne attract 25 million
visitors a year...
Jackman to Begin Filming ‘Wolverine’ in
Australia...
Hollywood
star Hugh Jackman will begin filming the next installment
of his “X-Men” spin-off movies in Sydney
next week, even though the female lead is yet to be
confirmed.
Jackman,
who admitted struggling to get into shape after packing
on the pounds to play Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables,”
said his role as Wolverine, which he first played
12 years ago, was “the backbone of my career.”
“I
love the character. I still love the character,”
he said. “I had no choice at the time, I was
going to take anything that came along, but I happened
to have walked into probably the most interesting
and complex of the superhero characters.”
“I’ve
always loved playing it and when I stop loving it
I’ll stop doing it,” he added.
Melco Crown Project Gets Red Light on Casino...
Macau
casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. MPEL
+2.32% still doesn't have permission to build a casino
at its latest project, according to a revised government
contract published Wednesday.
The
Macao Studio City project, in which Melco Crown has
a 60% equity interest, is designated for a five-star
hotel and film facilities, indicates the latest government
contract detailing various revisions to the agreement.
But the document doesn't mention any casino facilities
despite the company's earlier statements they hope
to open up to 400 gambling tables at the property.
It's possible the government could give the green-light
on a casino later, but the uncertainty could complicate
the company's efforts to finance the project.
Melco
Crown, backed by Lawrence Ho and James Packer—the
sons of Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho and the late
Australian casino-and-media magnate Kerry Packer—is
one of six casino license holders in Macau, where
it already runs two casino-resort properties in the
world's largest gambling hub.
A
representative for Melco Crown didn't respond to requests
for comment.
In
June 2011, Melco Crown signed a $360 million deal
to gain control over the Macao Studio City project,
resolving a bitter dispute between the project's earlier
partners that had escalated to the Hong Kong courts,
stalling development for years. New Cotai Holdings
LLC, an arm of U.S. investment firms Oaktree Capital
Management L.P. and Silver Point Capital L.P., retained
its 40% stake in the project.
Earlier
this month Melco Crown announced plans to enter the
burgeoning Philippines market by teaming up with local
property developer Belle Corp. BEL.PH -0.20% to partner
on a casino resort that will cost at least $1 billion
in an area the Philippines hopes will become Manila's
version of the Las Vegas Strip. (The Wall Street Journal)
First Second unveils André the Giant comic...
First
Second has confirmed its André the Giant biography.
Cartoonist
Box Brown is working on the book charting the life
of the professional wrestler and actor, reports ICv2.
André
Roussimoff was a star and one-time champion of the
World Wrestling Federation (now WWE).
He
is also known for his role in cult classic movie The
Princess Bride.
Roussimoff
has the condition acromegaly, which saw him grow to
7'4" in height. He died of heart failure in 1993
at the age of 46.
Box
is the author of Xeric grant-funded graphic novel
Love Is a Peculiar Type of Thing.
The
untitled André the Giant biography is scheduled
for release in 2014. (Digital Spy)
The Expendables 2 slapped with R rating for extreme
violence...
Action
star-laden sequel The Expendables 2 has been given
an R rating for its violent and sexual content in
the US.
Bruce
Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger
and co will even be throwing some bad language into
the mix as they bat off hostile attackers in this
follow-up to the 2010 action-packed extravaganza.
Lionsgate
was rumoured to have been considering a PG-13 rating
for the film, which is due for release in the States
on August 17th.
Once
again, Stallone assembles his hardened team of old-school
mercenaries for a special mission - taking revenge
after one of their squad is murdered on the job.
Director
Simon West was never in any doubt that the film would
receive such a high rating, given the 'very hard'
violence and language perpetrated by the all-star
cast throughout the film.
'I'm
sure there were some financial people who wanted it
to be PG-13 because they thought it would somehow
make more money or have a broader audience, but there
was no way,' he told wegotthiscovered.com.
'When
you get these guys on the set, they can't say a line
without putting the F-bomb in it, and they can't pick
up a gun without blowing several limbs off.' (Metro)
News
Entertainment,
Celebrity And Gaming News: Hollywood, AussieWood,
Sin City Sydney, Australia - 8th April 2012
Australian
movie, entertainment and wrestling fans. It's time
for yet another showbiz update. We've got Marvel Entertainment,
WWE, gaming, celebrities, and more.
50
Cent, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger Will
Star In 'The Tomb' Movie...
50
Cent continues to evolve. The music mogul just signed
on for yet another film, Summit's latest action-thriller,
"The Tomb.” After working together on Lionsgate's
"Fire With Fire," Fif will reunite with
Vincent D'Onofrio and Vinnie Jones in this Mikael
Hafstrom directed action-thriller. The film also stars
Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, with
Oscar nominee Amy Ryan as its female lead.
50
Cent To Guest Star On SyFy's 'Dream Machines'...
The
film is focused around Stallone who plays an expert
on structural security. The plot thickens as Stallone
is framed and put in a high-security prison of his
own design. The storyline then unfolds as he must
put his skills to the test to find out who put him
there.
The
70 million dollar movie is being co-financed by both
Summit and Emmett/Furla Films, which also produced
"Fire With Fire." However, this is not 50’s
first time working with Emmett/Furla films, as he
was also cast in the company's "Setup" with
Bruce Willis, "Freelancers" with Robert
De Niro and "The Frozen Ground" with Nicolas
Cage.
Last
month 50 Cent announced that his fifth studio album
will be released this summer. “My album is coming
out july 2. I got some heat trust me I'm ready,”
Fif tweeted. The announcement comes after the New
York MC called out Interscope Records for a lack of
support surrounding the release of the LP.
CM Punk At Chicago Comic-Con...
Rosemont,
IL, April 06, 2012 - Wizard World Chicago Comic Con,
which for nearly two decades has thrilled hundreds
of thousands of fans with standout celebrities, top-notch
superstar artists, VIP experiences and more, rolls
out an expanded, full four-day show, August 9-12 at
the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. More than
50 celebrities, including headliners like William
Shatner, Jeri Ryan, Stan Lee, Jon Bernthal and WWE
Superstar CM Punk, notable artists Carlos Pacheco,
George Pérez, Greg Capullo and dozens of others
are already signed up to attend what is shaping up
as the biggest Wizard World show ever and the Midwest's
No. 1 Pop Culture Convention.
The
international pop culture icon Shatner ("Star
Trek," "T.J. Hooker") will appear on
Friday, Aug. 10, and Saturday, Aug. 11, Ryan ("Star
Trek: Voyager," "Boston Public") on
Sunday, Aug. 12, Eisner Award Hall of Famer and comic
book legend Lee and Bernthal ("The Walking Dead,"
The Ghost Writer) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
and WWE Superstar CM Punk, the current WWE champion,
on Saturday.
"Wizard
World Chicago Comic Con continues to grow in all areas,
from celebrity guests to Artist Alley to evening entertainment
to VIP experiences, so much so that we've made it
a full four-day show for the first time," said
John Macaluso, CEO, Wizard World. "William Shatner,
Jeri Ryan and Stan Lee are at the top of a deep celebrity
roster that will connect with fans of all ages."
The
announcement follows the recent news that one of Hollywood's
fastest-risers, Chris Hemsworth (Thor, The Avengers),
will headline Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con
at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on June 2.
The
longest-running and highest-attended show annually
on the Wizard World calendar, 2012 Wizard World Chicago
Comic Con will also feature movie and television stars
such as Nina Dobrev ("The Vampire Diaries,"
CHLOE), Kate Mulgrew ("Star Trek: Voyager,"
Remo Williams), Bruce Campbell (Army Of Darkness,
Evil Dead), Tom Felton (Harry Potter, Rise of the
Planet of the Apes), Amy Acker ("Angel,"
The Cabin In The Woods) and dozens of others.
Eisner
Award winner Pérez ("Superman," "JSA"),
nominee Pacheco ("X-Men," "Green Lantern")
and Capullo ("Batman," "Spawn")
are joined in Artist Alley by Rodolfo Migliari ("Green
Arrow," "Green Lantern"), "Brom"
("Dungeons & Dragons," "The Plucker),
"CAFU" ("Superboy," "Action
Comics"), Ken Kelly ("Batman," "Star
Wars") and Pat Lee ("Spider-Man," "Iron
Man"), among a first-class roster of special
guests.
Wizard
World Chicago Comic Con, produced by Wizard World,
Inc. (WIZD.PK), will bring together thousands of fans
of all ages to celebrate the best in pop-fi, pop culture,
movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video gaming,
television, sci-fi, gaming, original art, collectibles,
contests and more.
For
more on the 2012 Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, visit
http://www.wizardworldcomiccon.com/home-ch.html
Dwayne Johnson Named CinemaCon Action Star of the
Year...
He'll
receive the honor at the upcoming convention of theater
owners in Las Vegas.
Dwayne
Johnson will be lauded with the Action Star of the
Year Award at CinemaCon.
This
summer, Johnson stars in Paramount tentpole G.I. Joe:
Relaliation. He's currently still in theaters in box
office hit Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, from
Warner Bros.
Johnson
will receive the CinemaCon award during Paramount's
opening night presentation.
Captain America sequel scheduled for 2014 release...
It's
official: Captain America will continue to fight the
good fight for liberty and freedom.
On
Thursday, Walt Disney Studios announced that a sequel
to last summer's Captain America: The First Avenger
is scheduled to be released on April 4, 2014, one
month before the release of the sequel to The Amazing
Spider-Man, who begins spinning his web July 3 of
this year.
Chris
Evans -- formerly Johnny Storm/the Human Torch of
The Fantastic Four -- finally put Marvel's patriotic
super-soldier on the A-list of superheroes in the
original, which earned $368 million dollars worldwide.
The
actor returns to the role as one of "Earth's
Mightiest Heroes" known as The Avengers with
Robert Downey, Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth
(Thor), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/the Hulk), Jeremy
Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye), Scarlett Johnansson
(Natascha Romanoff/Black Widow), and Samuel L. Jackson
(Nick Fury); the film comes out in the U.S on May
4.
'Captain America' sequel heads to theaters in 2014...
LOS
ANGELES — Captain America is getting another
solo shot on the big-screen.
Walt
Disney Studios announced Thursday that a sequel to
last year's superhero hit "Captain America: The
First Avenger" will arrive in theaters on April
4, 2014.
The
first movie starred Chris Evans as the patriotic fighter
for justice dressed in red, white and blue. "Captain
America" took in $368 million at the worldwide
box office.
Evans
reprises his role as Captain America in "The
Avengers," an ensemble adventure featuring Robert
Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson,
Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner as
a team of Marvel Comics heroes.
"The
Avengers" is due out in the U.S on May 4, and
Australia will likely be just days after.
Brock Lesnar Retired From MMA / UFC; Re Signs With
WWE Pro Wrestling / Sports Entertainment...
He
was billed as “The Next Big Thing” when
he first ripped up the pro wrestling business.
Now,
more than 10 years later, WWE head honcho Vince McMahon
and his top brass are hoping he's still be “The
Next Big Thing.”
Lesnar's
return to pro wrestling after an eight-year hiatus
made global news he meWWE posterboy John Cena with
an F-5 (ex FU) at the conclusion of last week's RAW,
as seen on Rupert Murdoch's Foxtel in Australia.
The
buzz confirmed Lesnar sightings in Miami over Wrestlemania
weekend, and wrestling fans had hoped that star would
make a surprise appearance at Mania. It's likely Lesnar's
contracted was signed before WrestleMania 28, but
the powers that be elected to use him the RAW after
WM, to help maintain momentum, and give viewers more
reason to continue to choose to tune into the WWE
brand.
Lesnar,
who departed WWE in 2004 primarily due to a massive
road schedule, reportedly signed a one-year deal with
WWE that will include a lighter workload and less
work dates than his last run. He is expected to be
featured mainly on pay-per-views and live televised
shows leading up to next year's Wrestlemania.
Lesnar,
an NCAA heavyweight champion at the University of
Minnesota, is expected to initially feud with Cena.
There's also talk of a possible match with The Rock
at the Wrestlemania 29 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), who defeated Cena last
Sunday U.S) at Wrestlemania 28 in Miami, already has
committed to appear at next year's wrestling 'Grand
Dadddy Of The All".
Lesnar
defeated The Rock in their last matchup back in 2002.
Many wrestling experts feel that a "Brock vs.
Rock" rematch would draw big money and huge interest
once again for the WWE machine.
Lesnar
already is being promoted for WWE's Extreme Rules
pay-per-view in Chicago on April 29, and is scheduled
to appear on the April 9 Raw in Washington, D.C.,
and a three-hour Raw on April 23 in Detroit.
Lesnar's
last UFC match was Dec. 30 in a loss to former Strikeforce
heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem. Following the
loss, Lesnar announced his retirement from mixed martial
arts, mentioning his life-threatening bouts with diverticulitis.
Lesnar,
34, is married to the former Rena Mero, the ex-WWE
diva and Playboy centerfold known as Sable. They have
two young children.
Citing
a number of issues, including burnout and a massive
travel schedule, Lesnar left the wrestling business
eight years ago after advising WWE owner Vince McMahon
that he had come to the realization that he was miserable
in his job.
Lesnar's
admission, though, came at a particularly critical
juncture — just days before a dream Wrestlemania
showdown with Bill Goldberg in what had been billed
as one of the biggest events in WWE history.
At
the time Lesnar told colleagues and company officials
that the match would mark his last in the wrestling
business.
Eight
years later, and on the heels of a relatively short
but highly publicized run in the mixed martial arts
industry, Lesnar appears ready for a return to pro
wrestling ranks.
McMahon
and the company are hoping he's in for the long haul
— or at least until Wrestlemania 29.
Lesnar
Contract Details And More...
WWE
wrestling fans, and sports fans worldwide have been
abuzz all week after Brock Lesnar returned to WWE
Raw this past Monday night. Lesnar, a former Ultimate
Fighting Championship athlete joins Hollywood actor
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the latest
mainstream celebrity to be signed to a WWE contract.
Both men formerly labored for Vince McMahon's empire
before they coursed on to bigger and more prestigious
accolades. However, there have been reports that many
current WWE roster members are not too pleased with
the return of The Rock and Brock Lesnar.
A
contract stipulations begin to leak, on of those circumstances
reported in Brock Lesnar's agreement was that Brock
had to work a told 30-40 wrestling dates for the year.
For those intervals, Lesnar would receive five million
dollars. The dilemma with this exists that other full
time members of the roster perform over 200 dates
per year and don't even make a fifth of Lesnar's income.
In fact, other than a handfull of elite headliners,
most WWE wrestlers make less than $500,000 dollars
a year. And that doesn't include travel expenses and
hotel accommodations that those wrestlers have to
fork out for out of pocket each week. The gap between
dates and salary among full time WWE wrestlers and
Brock Lesnar is huge.
The
Rock has a comparable WWE contract. It has been reported
that The Rock will work a modest amount of matches
over the next year, which will likely culminate in
a bout at Wrestlemania 29 against Brock Lesnar.
Storm smashes 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's Texas ranch...
FOWLERTON,
Texas -- Wrestling legend "Stone Cold" Steve
Austin was left stunned this week after the barn on
his Texas ranch was destroyed by a storm.
The
47-year-old, real name Steven James Williams, saw
the roof of his barn torn off at the storm ripped
through Broken Skull Ranch in McMullen County.
The
wrestler-come-actor said he planned to use the damage
to add more storage space.
He told TMZ fixing the damage, "ain't gonna be
cheap."
Andy Kaufman's pro wrestling exploits recalled in
CNN feature, claims WWE won't allow him in the Hall
of Fame...
The
pro wrestling exploits of Andy Kaufman were chronicled
in a lengthy CNN website feature. The story states
that Kaufman remains shut out of the WWE Hall of Fame.
"His absence from the Hall of Fame is conspicuous,"
Syracuse professor Bob Thompson said. "He is
one of the really important members of the pantheon
of that form." To read the full article, visit
CNN.com/2012/04/07/us/kaufman-lawler-wrestling-match/index.html
Bwin.Party
Digital Entertainment To Ramp Up New Product Offers;
Social Media Attack And More...
Bwin.Party
Digital Entertainment has reported plans to develop
and launch numerous gaming products. Since the merger
in April 2011, Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment has
strived to evolve and grow in the competitive online
gaming market.
Bwin.Party
has reported its desire to continually integrate its
platform and products as well as invest in Research
and Development. The online gaming giant has announced
the development of a rush poker variant and the launch
of social gaming products in order to stay pace with
the evolving market. Furthermore, co-CEOs Jim Ryan
and Norbert Teufelberger have reported that the company
is “well placed” to take advantage of the
regulatory movement in both Europe and the US.
New
Products
Bwin.Party
has reported plans to launch several products ranging
from mobile applications to new gaming products. The
gaming giant plans to launch a social gaming platform
in addition to building an independent social gaming
site. The first social gaming product is tipped to
be poker-based game called Aces Hangout, which was
tested in late 2011 and we understand launched on
Google+ days ago. The company has announced that the
poker-based social gaming offerings will be followed
by a casino and sports book application. In addition
to these social gaming offerings, the company plans
to launch mobile applications for its core products
as well as HTML5 versions of its major gaming sites.
CEO
Jim Ryan recently told news media that “We expect
to gain competitive advantage this year from additional
scale and improved flexibility that will flow from
the integration and migration of our main products
to a single technology platform.”
In
addition to the launch of the social gaming platform,
Ryan announced that the company has launched the development
of a rush poker variant.
Legislation
and Finance
Bwin.Party
has announced that it is well positioned to take advantage
of the regulatory movements in major markets like
Spain and the US. In Spain, the gaming company is
one of 60 companies that are waiting for the approval
of the licensing application that was recently delayed
due to controversy surrounding a Spain regulator.
In the United States, Bwin.Party secured a joint venture
with brick and mortar casino operators MGM and Boyd
Gaming in order to position itself for the anticipated
regulation of online poker in the US. Furthermore,
the company has an application for the Schleswig-Holstein
Board that will allow the launch of all products except
bingo.
Financially,
Bwin.Party announced an increase in flat pro-forma
revenues from €814m to €816m and a 9% increase
in its casino revenue. EGamingReview also reported
that analysts have a positive outlook on the company
with a 2% average daily increase over last year’s
figures.
Bwin.Party
continues to evolve in the competitive gaming market
and plans to launch several exciting products in the
near future. In addition to the new developments and
regulatory preparations, Bwin.Party is expected to
finally have real money dotcom players move to the
merged platform by the third quarter of 2012 and the
dot.it and dot.fr migrations to occur in the fourth
quarter of this year. The company expects this migration
to further enhance its position in the poker market
alongside its major competitors like PokerStars, Virgin
Games and PKR.
Media
Man will be following up Bwin.Party developments,
and as we go to press the have already released at
least one new slot to the online casino portfolio
PartyCasino,
as seen on the Media Man network, so its game on!
That's
it fans. Stay tuned to Media
Man and Street
Corner for more entertainment news and scoops
daily.
News
Australian
And Hollywood Entertainment, Celebrity and Gaming
News; Jackman, Crowe, WWE.. - 20th March 2012
Hugh
"The Wolverine" Jackman punches Russell
"The Gladiator" Crowe in play...
Hugh
Jackman tried to punch Russell Crowe as many times
as possible during rehearsals for theatre production
Les Miserables.
The
Australian star keeps asking to re-shoot fight scenes
where he knocks Crowe out, because he enjoys it so
much.
A
source told The Sun newspaper: "The crew find
it hilarious as Crowe would obviously sweep the floor
with Jackman in real life.
"Hugh
keeps ribbing Russell and winding him up but he's
been getting his own back by calling Hugh a twirlie,
which is showbiz speak for a singer/dancer."
Although
Jackman has always had to be in good shape to play
muscular superhero Wolverine in the X-Men films, he
was recently told he had to bulk up to play the character
in the next movie, The Wolverine, as he had lost so
many pounds while appearing in Hugh Jackman: Back
On Broadway.
He
said: "The studio wants me to bulk up. Singing
and dancing makes the suits nervous because weight
just falls off me, but I'd rather sing and dance on
Broadway than make movies."
Crowe
is also no stranger to long fight scenes, having undergone
gruelling shoots against Michael Shannon in Superman:
Man of Steel, in which he played the titular superhero's
father.
He
tweeted: "15km bike ride, umpteen hours fighting
Michael Shannon. He's very hard to put down. Hard
to tell who wins, we are still fighting tomorrow.
(sic)"
Bruce Willis and his heavily-pregnant wife make the
most of their freedom on a double date with Sylvester
Stallone...
They
may be two of Hollywood's biggest action stars but
recently Bruce Willis and Sylvester "Rambo"
Stallone showed off their softer sides.
The
actors enjoyed a double date with one another and
their wives as they met up for dinner in Los Angeles.
As
they emerged from Craig's Restaurant, Willis and his
wife Emma Heming looked in good spirits following
their meal, as they were making the most of their
freedom before the birth of their first child.
Perhaps
Stallone and his wife of almost 15 years, Jennifer
Flavin, had been giving Heming some parenting advice.
Willis
and Heming announced that they were expecting their
first child together last year, and judging by the
brunette's large bump, it won't be long until the
baby arrives.
The
model was glowing as she left the restaurant holding
her husband's hand and smiled for the cameras.
She
wore a black and white printed dress that highlighted
her stomach with a waist belt, and completed her look
with a black jacket and matching flats.
Die
Hard star Willis had also dressed for the occasion
and wore a smart dark suit and a shirt but looked
less enthusiastic as he left the building.
Stallone
followed closely behind the couple wearing a red two-tone
blazer with grey trousers and a shirt.
His
wife dressed down in a pair of jeans and a blue leather
jacket, but she did make sure she was taller than
her husband by wearing a pair of black knee-high boots.
Willis
and Stallone recently reunited with one another to
star in the upcoming action sequel, The Expendables
2.
The
film, which is due for release in August this year,
features an array of well-known action stars including
Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and Jean-Claude Van
Damme.
Are Bruce Willis And Sylvester Stallone’s Wives
Joining Season 3 Of Real Housewives of Beverly Wills?...
Maybe!
There has been many rumors that Sylvester Stallone’s
wife, Jennifer Flavin was asked to join season 3 of
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills but no confirmation
just yet. The National Enquirer is now reporting that
Jennifer is "heavily recruiting" close friend
and Bruce Willis wife Emma Heming to join the show
as well! A Hollywood pal told The Enquirer, "They
know each other from their modeling days, and Jen
thinks the two of them together can ‘take over’
the show – and she loves that their hubbies are
friends too!"
So
how exactly does Bruce and Sly feel about this? The
leak says, "While Jennifer says Sly is totally
supportive of the idea, she’s trying to get Emma
to convince Bruce that this would be a good thing.
He’s wary because Emma is about to become a first-time
mom. He’s also not thrilled about having a reality
TV crew following them everywhere." The two couples
were seen having dinner last week and apparently "Bruce
told Jennifer he would consider the idea. But first
he wants to get past the impending arrival of his
new baby."
Jagger and Richards mend relationship...
We
all need someone to lean on, and the founding duo
of the Rolling Stones say they are doing just that
after overcoming three decades of misunderstandings
with a year of that including some heavy conversation.
In
an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Mick Jagger
and Keith Richards said they rebuilt their friendship
after guitarist Richards's best-selling 2011 memoirs
Life laid bare his pent-up frustration with the snake-hipped
frontman.
"In
the 1980s, for instance, Keith and I were not communicating
very well," Jagger told the pop culture magazine,
which celebrates the band's 50th anniversary in its
current issue.
"I
got very involved with the business side of the Stones,
mainly because I felt no one else was interested -
but it's plain now from the book that Keith felt excluded,
which is a pity. Time I reckon to move on."
"Mick's
right," said Richards. The pair the Stones in
1962 after they met in a London train station and
discovered their mutual love for American blues music.
"He
and I have had conversations over the last year of
a kind we have not had for an extremely long time
and that has been incredibly important to me,"
Richards said.
"As
far as the book goes, it was my story and it was very
raw, as I meant it to be - but I know that some parts
of it and some of the publicity really offended Mick
and I regret that."
Rolling
Stone reported earlier this week that the Stones are
planning no concert tour for its 50th anniversary,
although it quoted Richards as suggesting that 2013
was a "more realistic" target for hitting
the road. (AFP)
Souris in the dark about casino sackings...
The
New South Wales Gaming Minister George Souris says
he knows nothing about the latest sackings at Sydney's
Star casino.
An
official inquiry is underway into the sacking last
month of Star's managing director Sid Vaikunta, for
allegedly inappropriate behaviour.
Now,
the casino has reportedly sacked three mid-level managers
for breaches of its internet and email policies.
One
manager is believed to have forwarded an email explaining
why responsible gambling rules do not apply to international
guests.
Mr
Souris says it is news to him.
"Whatever
matters relating to the operation of the casino that
arise during this inquiry are matters not for me,"
he said.
"They
are matters for the independent Liquor and Gaming
Authority, and are specially in the hands of the independent
inquiry that has been commissioned by the authority
in the hands of Gail Furness SC."
Mr
Souris was confronting a media pack for the first
time since allegations were raised about the government's
involvement in the Sid Vaikunta episode.
The
state opposition has claimed the Premier's former
communications director Peter Grimshaw used his position
and his friendship with George Souris to conduct a
personal vendetta against the casino operators.
Mr
Souris says he has done nothing to compromise the
government over the affair.
He
has confirmed that he spoke to Peter Grimshaw about
keeping some information secret, but said it had nothing
to do with government policy.
"The
conversation was deeply personal." he said.
"It
had nothing to do with any decision the government
was considering or any matter of policy whatsoever
- nothing reflected or compromised the government."
Peter
Grimshaw has was stood down from his role pending
an investigation into allegations he forwarded confidential
work emails.
Souris fronts media over Star allegations...
NSW
Tourism Minister George Souris has defended his role
in The Star casino scandal a week after being accused
of hiding from the media.
Mr
Souris has distanced himself from the widening scandal
that began with the sacking of the The Star's boss
Sid Vaikunta in February.
"This
whole issue of the casino really does not reflect
on anything I have done," Mr Souris said, speaking
to journalists at the launch of the Sydney Racing
Carnival at Bondi.
"There
is nothing whatsoever that I have compromised - everything
that I have done has been proper."
Mr
Souris has become the lightning rod for opposition
attacks over the casino, with Labor Leader John Robertson
saying he had breached the ministerial code of conduct
by withholding information from Premier Barry O'Farrell
about an investigation into The Star.
In
a text leaked to the media, Mr Souris told Mr O'Farrell's
communications director Peter Grimshaw he hadn't informed
the premier that one of Mr Vaikunta's alleged harassment
victims was in fact Mr Grimshaw's partner.
Mr
Grimshaw - who has been stood down by Mr O'Farrell
over another matter - has been accused of waging a
secret campaign against the casino, his former employer.
Mr
Souris has been grilled in question time for two weeks
over his dealings with Mr Grimshaw, with the opposition
calling for him to be sacked.
He
has also been accused of hiding from the media after
refusing to do interviews about The Star and being
absent at major announcements such as Thursday's launch
of the Vivid Sydney festival.
On
Monday, Mr Souris said the Independent Liquor and
Gaming Authority (ILGA) inquiry into Mr Vaikunta's
sacking would focus on the "real substance of
the matter".
"Matters
concerning the operation of the casino itself, that
is the true focus," Mr Souris told reporters.
"I
can assure you not one breach of the public trust
has occurred in anything that I have been involved
in. No government decisions whatsoever have been compromised."
Mr
Souris once again defended his decision not to tell
Mr O'Farrell that Mr Grimshaw's partner was one of
the casino boss's alleged victims.
"The
conversation was deeply personal. It had nothing to
do with any decision the government was considering,
or any matter of policy whatsoever," he said.
"Nothing
reflected or compromised the government. They were
deeply personal, and I believe I was able to offer
him a personal hearing board from which I respected
the confidentiality of it."
Mr
Souris's comments came as three more managers, including
one who forwarded an email revealing that the casino
allowed international high rollers to gamble non-stop
for more than 24 hours, were sacked from the casino,
Fairfax reported on Monday.
"I
just don't even know anything about that," Mr
Souris said.
Mr
O'Farrell said he was concerned about the latest alleged
breaches at The Star but was confident ILGA would
investigate.
"That
authority is independent, doesn't operate at the direction
of government, but has shown itself proactive in the
past on these issues," he told reporters in Sydney.
EPIX Celebrates Superheroes and the Legendary Stan
Lee With Marvel Heroes Weekend April 27-29
--Hosted by Lee, Event Features World Television Premieres
of Captain America: The First Avenger & EPIX Original
Documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story --National
Free Preview Makes Marvel Heroes Weekend Available
to Subscribers of Affiliated Partners...
NEW
YORK, March 19, 2012 - EPIX, the multiplatform premium
entertainment service, will present Marvel Heroes
Weekend, April 27 - 29, a marathon of superhero movies
including Iron Man 2, Thor, the world television premiere
of Captain America: The First Avenger and the EPIX
Original Documentary With Great Power: The Stan Lee
Story. Hosted by legendary comic book creator Stan
Lee, the marathon also includes EPIX Extra: Mighty
Movie Superheroes, examining the origins and fan following
of the mighty team. The weekend celebration of Marvel's
famed superheroes and their creator features the movies
that have led up to the highly anticipated theatrical
release of The Avengers on May 4.
The
EPIX Original Documentary With Great Power: The Stan
Lee Story follows the life and creations of Stan Lee,
the co-creator of Spider-Man, Captain America, Hulk,
X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and over 200 other
characters that can be found in Marvel comic books,
on movie screens and in retail stores around the world.
"These
action-packed superhero films are some of the most
highly viewed titles among EPIX audiences across all
platforms," said EPIX CEO and President Mark
Greenberg. "We're excited to give fans more access
than ever before to the mastermind behind it all,
Stan Lee."
Marvel
Heroes Weekend is part of a free preview of EPIX for
all subscribers of affiliate partners, which will
also showcase Hollywood blockbusters Transformers:
Dark of the Moon, Rango, Conan the Barbarian, True
Grit, The Lincoln Lawyer and more, along with EPIX
original comedy and music events Lewis Black: In God
We Rust, Kevin Smith: Burn in Hell and Amnesty International's
Secret Policeman's Ball. Over 30 million homes nationwide
will have access to the free preview, including over
150 titles available On Demand and more than 3000
movie titles available online at EpixHD.com and through
EPIX apps.
The
weekend event and free preview will be supported by
television, print, online and out of home advertising
and a national contest hosted by EPIX which will send
winners to the Hollywood premiere of The Avengers.
For more information or to enter, visit the EPIX Facebook
page at www.facebook.com/EpixHD . Additionally, EPIX
has partnered with Clear Channel Media and Entertainment
for Avengers-themed sweepstakes promoted across Ryan
Seacrest's nationally syndicated radio shows and website
and across several local Clear Channel stations in
the top 10 media markets.
Disney in the red after film flop John Carter...
This
film has got a mixed bag of reviews. Most American
media are panning it and most Australian media love
it, so go figure!
John
Carter is expected to lose $US200 million for Disney,
dragging the studio's whole movie budget into the
red.
Disney
says it will take the huge operating loss on the movie,
made by Oscar-winning director Andrew Stanton about
a Civil War veteran transplanted to Mars, in its second
fiscal quarter.
"In
light of the theatrical performance of John Carter
($US184 million global box office), we expect the
film to generate an operating loss of approximately
$US200 million during our second fiscal quarter ending
March 31," Disney said in a statement.
"As
a result, our current expectation is that the studio
segment will have an operating loss of between $US80
and $US120 million for the second quarter."
Starring
Taylor Kitsch and Willem Dafoe, the movie cost an
estimated $US250 million, but was met with a mixed
bag of reviews from critics when it was released earlier
this month.
It
was the first live action movie for Stanton, who won
best animated film Oscars for Finding Nemo in 2004
and Wall-E in 2009.
He
also wrote for all three Toy Story movies as well
as Monsters Inc.
2013 Oscars date set...
The
annual Academy Awards will be held on February 24
next year, organisers say.
And
nominations for those shortlisted for prizes on Hollywood's
biggest night will be unveiled on January 15.
"The
ceremony will take place at the Hollywood and Highland
Centre ... and will be televised live by the ABC (America)
Television Network to more than 225 countries,"
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said
in a statement.
The
name of the show's venue - the Kodak Theatre, in the
heart of Hollywood - was changed at the last minute
this year after the bankrupt photo company negotiated
an end to its sponsorship deal.
It
is unclear if the name will change by next February
or remain the Hollywood and Highland Centre.
French-directed
silent movie The Artist was crowned best picture at
this year's show.
Theron talks about motherhood...
Actress
Charlize Theron has opened up about motherhood, while
promoting her new sci-fi thriller 'Prometheus' at
California's 'wonder-con' convention.
The
36 year-old says it is everything she wanted, after
adopting her son Jackson four months ago.
'Prometheus'
is set for release later this year, marking Ridley
Scott's return to the sci-fi film-making industry.
Australian
actor Guy Pearce also stars in the film. Early buzz
is that the film will be a hit.
Stacy Keibler to judge X Factor?...
Stacy
Keibler is in talks to join 'The X Factor'.
The
former professional wrestler - who is the main squeeze
aka girlfriend of actor George Clooney - has reportedly
been involved in a series of secret meetings about
the possibility of becoming a judge on the upcoming
second series of the US version of Simon Cowell's
pop star search TV show.
While
the blonde beauty and pop superstar Britney Spears
are believed to be filling the two panel slots left
vacant by axed judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger,
insiders have suggested Stacy's "lack of experience"
in the music industry means she could be more likely
to take over from former host Steve Jones.
An
leak said: "Stacy Keibler is also in talks to
join the show, but her lack of experience in the music
business may make her more appropriate as a host.
She looks fantastic and has bags of charisma."
Although
Britney is believed to have been offered a deal worth
$10 million to become a judge, it is alleged she is
demanding "a lot more money".
A
source added to the New York Post newspaper: "Talks
are still ongoing with Britney and she is asking for
a lot more money than was originally offered. But
producers are confident Britney will realise this
is a great opportunity for her to reinvent herself
and accept their deal."
Show
boss Simon - who is joined on the judging panel by
record label chief L.A. Reid - has previously admitted
he is keen for the presenter of the series to not
come from a hosting background.
He
said: "I always wanted a boy and a girl to host
the show. And I like hosts who don't kind of have
a hosting background, it's a different kind of dynamic."
HBO cancels Luck after horse deaths...
It's
Dustin Hoffman's television series Luck, which earned
some of its critical acclaim for its portrayal of
thoroughbreds racing around the racetracks of southern
California.
Off
camera however the show has had some very bad luck.
The
horseracing drama series Luck has been cancelled after
the deaths of three horses, TV network HBO and producers
say.
HBO,
which is currently filming the drama's second series,
has abruptly suspended the use of horses on its set
following the sudden death of yet another one of its
equine performers.
The
series won't return for the second season run that
began production last month, it said.
A
horse was put down on Tuesday after it reared, fell
over backwards, and hit its head.
The
incident, which occurred on location at Santa Anita
racetrack north of Los Angeles, was the third fatal
accident involving horses in Luck's short history.
Animal
rights activists are understood to be outraged by
the development, and have called for police to launch
an investigation into possible breaches of welfare
laws.
They
blamed the "outrageous" deaths on "sloppy
oversights" by the makers of the show, created
by the Hollywood director, Michael Mann.
HBO,
for its part, can barely afford more negative publicity
for the expensive show, which recently debuted in
the UK on Sky.
Though
heavily marketed, and despite receiving positive reviews,
Luck has underperformed commercially, attracting just
625,000 viewers in the US.
In
a statement, the network said it was "deeply
saddened" by the horse's death.
It
promised "full co-operation" with an investigation
by the American Humane Association [AHA].
"Recent
assertions of lax attitudes or negligence could not
be further from the truth," it read.
"We
will not be filming horses until AHA completes its
inquiry."
This
week's fatal accident was witnessed by Gary Beck,
a vet.
"The
horse was on her way back to the stall when she reared,
flipped over backwards, and struck her head on the
ground," he said, in a statement.
Since
the injury was too serious to respond to treatment,
euthanasia the only appropriate move, he added.
The
California Horse Racing Board, which has allowed HBO
to use Santa Anita during its off-season, said that
a full post mortem will now be carried out on the
creature.
"Unfortunately,
we see several of these injuries in the stable area
every year," said its equine medical director,
Rick Arthur.
"They
are more common than people realise."
Hollywood's
local animal welfare lobby is unlikely to be impressed
with the statement.
Even
before this week's events, they were investigating
Luck's treatment of its equine stars, alleging that
two other horses who suffered fatal accidents during
the filming of the show's first series should never
have been allowed on set.
The
first season of Luck premiered in Australia on Showcase
last Sunday.
Australian TV Ratings - Sunday 18th March 2012
1
My Kitchen Rules 1,710,000 2 Aust FIA Formula One
1,399,000 3 Sunday Night 1,304,000 4 60 Minutes 1,187,000
5 Seven News 1,179,000
Australian Box Office...
This
Week TITLE Weeks In Release Last Weekend ($) Total
Gross ($)
1.
John Carter NEW 3,092,526 3,092,526
2.
Project X 2 1,098,478 2,920,967
3.
Contraband 3 727,100 4,474,648
4.
This Means War 4 673,397 7,263,919
5.
The Vow 5 550,206 10,439,780
6.
Safe House 5 429,402 8,131,194
7.
The Artist 6 406,205 3,375,922
8.
The Devil Inside 2 380,884 1,339,572
9.
Hugo 9 296,163 9,830,145
10.
My Week With Marilyn 4 228,551 2,161,960
11.
Headhunters NEW 190,187 222,992
12.
A Separation 2 173,093 563,630
13.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close 3 145,330 1,187,455
14.
The Grey 4 132,988 2,295,195
15.
The Descendants 9 120,235 14,930,061
Taylor Swift Unveils Hunger Games Song "Eyes
Open"...
Taylor
Swift fans who can't wait to see The Hunger Games
got a special treat over the weekend.
The
country pop princess performed, for the first time
ever, "Eyes Open," the tune she contributed
to the would-be blockbuster hitting theaters this
weekend.
Listen
here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7b-3MhTbJU&feature=player_embedded
"I'm
really excited about it…but, I mean, you don't
think I'd get in trouble if I played it now? Probably
not, right?" Swift teased the thousands of screaming
concertgoers who packed Auckland, New Zealand's Vector
Arena last night.
She
then launched into a solo acoustic rendition of "Eyes
Open" that began with the refrain: "Everybody's
waiting/Everybody's watching/Even when you're sleeping/Keep
your eye-eyes open."
The
song is one of the best cuts off the Hunger Games
soundtrack, which hits stores tomorrow and also includes
"Safe & Sound," which Swift wrote and
performed with the singer-songwriter duo Civil Wars,
along with ditties from Arcade Fire, Maroon 5 and
Miranda Lambert among others.
"Do
you like it?" Swift asked the crowd, and her
fans do nuts.
WWE Sheamus Visit To Sydney On St. Patrick's Day News...
It
was great to see WWE make the effort to bring Sheamus
to Sydney, Australia this past Saturday. Sheamus was
friendly to all of the fans (he got to meet). What
wasn't so great was the way many fans missed out on
the opp to meet him, and the miscommunication of information
about the visit. One DVD - music distribution company
published the wrong venue in their media and fan send
outs, so some fans and media ended up going to Blacktown
Big W instead of Bankstown Big W. Many fans and a
number of media were also treated poorly by some security
guards. It's a shame that one or two bad apples can
spoil the show and put a black mark on the event.
Media Man is hopeful that Sheamus goes on to win the
World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 28
as he faces champion Daniel Bryan. By the way, check
out the revamped WWE website which is very social
media focused and looks fantastic.
WWE signs Australian Wrestler...
WWE has signed an Aussie! Sonny Elliot (formally Danny
Bolton). Sonny was South Australian based and trained
with Lance Storm in Canada. He was recently added
to the main FCW roster. We wish Sonny well as his
career continues.
That's
it fans. Stay tuned to Media
Man and Street
Corner for more entertainment news and scoops
daily.
News
Marvel
Entertainment and Marvel Studios news: Avengers, Amazing
Spider-Man, Captain America - movies, games and auction
- 8th March 2012
Ultimate
Spider-Man Premieres at SXSW...
"Ultimate
Spider-Man," premiering April 1 on Disney XD
as part of the Marvel Universe block, is the super
hero show everyone’s talking about--and you can
experience the world premiere at South By Southwest
Interactive Festival! At the historic Marvel: House
of Ideas, panel Sunday, March 11 at 1 p.m. on the
IGN stage at the Palmer Events Center, Jeph Loeb (EVP/Head
of Marvel Television) will debut the entire first
episode of "Ultimate Spider-Man" for fans
in attendance. This can’t-miss panel also features
the unveiling of Marvel’s bold new multimedia
plans that includes the announcement of Marvel's revolutionary
new ways to read comics, courtesy of Axel Alonso (Marvel
Comics Editor in Chief) and Peter Phillips (SVP &
GM, Marvel Digital Media Group). Don’t forget,
this event is free and open to the public, so fans
of all ages can be in attendance for the first look
at the series that will redefine super hero animation--and
the announcements that will change how you see comics!
“We’ve heard that Austin has some of the
best Marvel fans in the world and we couldn’t
imagine a better ‘thank you’ for their support
than the world premiere of 'Ultimate Spider-Man' which
comes to Disney XD on April 1,” said Loeb. “Working
with top writers and talent, we’ve produced an
animated series that brings Spider-Man to life like
you’ve never seen him before. They say they do
it up big in Texas--and we can’t wait for the
smiles on the crowd’s faces when they get the
first look at Ultimate Spidey in action!”
Once the Marvel: House of Ideas panel concludes, fans
in attendance will receive a limited edition Marvel
lithograph (while supplies last) and a chance to have
it signed by Loeb and Alonso in a special Marvel signing
session.
Stay tuned to www.marvel.com and www.sxswscreenburn.com
for more details on the Marvel: House of Ideas panel
and Marvel’s plans for SXSW.
Marvel
Studios presents 'Marvel Avengers Assemble' trailer...
It's
one of the most popular movie trailers on YouTube.
Thus far it's attracted over 15,377,000 views via
Marvel UK YouTube. Marvel's The Avengers Trailer 2
has so far snatched over 666,000 views.
Marvel
Studios presents 'Marvel Avengers Assemble' the Super
Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel
Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor,
Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an
unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety
and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international
peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself
in need of a team to pull the world back from the
brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment
effort begins.
Starring
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel
L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel
Avengers Assemble” is based on the ever-popular
Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,”
first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever
since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie,
packed with action and spectacular special effects,
when “Marvel Avengers Assemble" hits UK
cinemas on April 26 and Australian fans can expect
it on the big screen around the same time this year.
In
“Marvel Avengers Assemble” superheroes team
up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster
when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.
You've
got themes such as loyalty, hope and tenacity set
against a rural England and Europe during the First
World War. If you liked 'Captain America: The First
Avenger', you are going to love this.
Cast:
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom
Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L.
Jackson
'AVENGERS' MEMORABILIA: Capt. America's Shield, Thor's
Hammer ... FOR SALE!!!
Marvel
fans rejoice -- 221 of the coolest, awesomest “Captain
America”, “Thor” and “Iron Man”
props are hitting the auction block ... and they can
all be YOURS ... if you got a 6-figure bank account.
The
auction -- run by a group called Profiles in History
with help from Marvel Studios -- is set to kick off
online April 14th ... and in-person at the Chicago
Comic & Entertainment Expo.
Among
the ridiculously expensive collectibles (with their
starting bids) --
--
The full Mark II “Autopsy” Suit from "Iron
Man 2" ... $60,000
-- Chris Evans' complete Captain America Suit ...
$20,000
-- Steve Rogers’ Hero Motorcycle (Harley Davidson)
... $12,000
-- Thor’s Hammer ... $4,000
-- Captain America Stunt Shield ... $3,000
... And hundreds of other pricey gadgets, props, and
costumes from the movies.
AVENGERS
ASSEMBLE ... your life savings.
Avengers
Jewellery Released In Japan; Likely To Get Worldwide
Distribution...
While
nearly two months remain until Marvel's The Avengers
hits theaters, as we approach the anticipated May
4th release date, more marketing and licensing deals
unveil. The latest comes via Colantotte, a "top"
jeweler brand in Japan, whose known for their upscale
magnetic jewelry. Using full promo images from The
Avengers, previously seen, on their official site,
new character bios, and products developed for the
movie, check it out!
You
may recall when filming was underway in Cleveland,
Ohio, which is doubling for New York City in the film,
one of the many false storefronts built had a "Colantotte"
sign atop it. So it seems, similar to the Dr. Pepper
truck being blown to bits, the Colantotte store's
inclusion is yet another case of cleaver product placement.
The
store's screentime in the film reportedly depicts
Japanese store owners running out of the building,
and looking up frightened by the mystery aliens' "mothership."
Anyhow, check the source link to visit and explore
the Colantotte site, and their products!
“Marvel’s
The Avengers” Promo
Marvel
Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures
“Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super
hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel
super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor,
Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an
unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety
and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international
peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself
in need of a team to pull the world back from the
brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment
effort begins.
Starring
Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel
L. Jackson, & directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay
by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers”
is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series
“The Avengers,” first published in 1963
and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself
for an exciting event movie, packed with action and
spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s
The Avengers” assemble on May 4, 2012. The film
is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
In addition to "Marvel's The Avengers,"
Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based
on the Marvel characters including "Iron Man
3" on May 3, 2013!; and “Thor 2” on
November 15, 2013.
New
Marvel Films Boost Popularity Of Marvel Entertainment
Themed Online Games
The
Australian arm of the Media Man publicity and internet
publishing agency is reporting that the new and upcoming
Marvel hero themed movies (Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man,
Ghost Rider and Wolverine) has boosted the popularity
of Marvel slot games at world's leading online casino
brand, PartyCasino,
as seen across the Media Man network. The casino gaming
brand is owned and operated by bwin.party digital
entertainment, the world's leading igaming company,
which is even listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Impressive and even Excelsior! The Media Man agency
has reviewed the games for the fanboy (or) fangirl
in all of us.
'Chronicle's' Josh Trank looks to spit some Venom...
With
Sony’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” looking
to kick-start a Spidey resurgence this summer, the
studio is taking a crack at another character associated
with the superhero: Venom.
The
studio is negotiating with Josh Trank, the hot director
of this winter’s found-footage hit "Chronicle,"
to take the reins of the Spidey spin-off, said a person
familiar with the project who was not authorized to
talk about it publicly. Sony was not immediately available
for comment.
The
film would center on the gooey villain who was a mainstay
of the Marvel comics and was a nemesis, incarnated
by Topher Grace, in the third “Spider-Man”
picture in 2007. (The character attaches himself to
a human host and becomes as powerful as the web-slinging
superhero.)
A
Venom film has been long-gestating at the studio,
dating back at least to 2008 and preceding plans for
this summer's Marc Webb-Andrew Garfield take on the
character. Gary Ross negotiated to direct a Venom
film back in 2009 but moved on to other projects,
including the upcoming “Hunger Games.”
Jacob
Estes (“The Details”) wrote a draft of a
“Venom” script several years ago, but producers
are seeking a new writer, said the source. (The Ross
version was to craft Venom as less a villain than
an antihero.) The film also would be seeking a new
actor; Grace is not expected to reprise the role.
With
"Venom," the 27-year-old Trank would not
only return to superhero territory but would also
bring a flair for shoe-leather storytelling that resonates
with audiences: Despite an absence of stars as well
as a modest budget, “Chronicle” has grossed
more than $60 million since coming out last month.
(Credit: LA Times)
Spider-Man ride reopening at Universal Orlando...
ORLANDO,
Fla. - As Universal Orlando theme park prepares to
open a new and technologically eye-popping version
of its iconic 3-D Spider-Man ride this week, creator
Stan Lee says it's sort of a fluke that the costumed
web-slinger ever came into existence at all.
Lee
was a writer and editor at Marvel Comics in the early
1960s when he went to his publisher with a new idea:
A superhero with the abilities of a fly or some other
insect to crawl on walls and flit from place to place.
Oh, and the character's alter-ego, Peter Parker, would
be a shy, orphaned teenager with all sorts of adolescent
problems and anxieties.
"My
publisher said to me, `Stan, that is the worst idea
I have ever heard,"' the 89-year-old Lee recalled
in a telephone interview from his Los Angeles home
this week. "First of all, people hate spiders
so you can't call a hero Spider-Man. Secondly, a hero
can't be a teenager.
Teenagers
are only sidekicks. And three, superheroes don't have
problems -- they're superheroes!"
Lee,
who had already dreamed up the Fantastic Four, the
Hulk and other popular Marvel beings, worked up a
Spider-Man story with artist Steve Ditko -- "just
to get it out of my system," he says -- and put
the new character on the cover of the last ever issue
of a 12-cent magazine called "Amazing Fantasy."
"It
sold like crazy," Lee says of the August 1962
comic. Spider-Man was well on his way to becoming
the flagship of the Marvel Comics universe, star of
TV shows, major motion pictures and more lately, a
famously elaborate Broadway musical. Spidey's general
appearance has changed little through the years, although
Peter Parker has been allowed to grow up into a young
man.
That brings us to the updated version of the Universal
3-D dark ride, "The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man,"
which reopens Thursday. It quickly gained popularity
among theme park fans after debuting in 1999 but has
only had minor tweaks since. Lately it had slipped
into the also-ran category of Universal rides with
the 2010 opening of the immensely popular Harry Potter
attraction in another corner of Islands of Adventure.
The
ride, which combines motion vehicles, a towering screen
and special effects, was reanimated in digital high-definition
3-D and got updated sets, sound system, lighting and
music. Universal says the clearer, brighter animation
allowed the addition of loads of new details and high-tech
gimmicks to the ride, in which the wise-cracking web-slinger
battles villains Doctor Octopus, Scream, Electro,
Hydro-Man and the Hobgoblin.
"We
saw an opportunity to make it ready for a whole new
generation of fans, and this was a perfect time to
do so," said Mark Woodbury, president for Universal
Creative, the park's design and development group.
"The technology was available to us, (and) we
saw the opportunity to create something really unique
-- more immersive, more detailed, more visual."
As
Lee has done in some of the movies based on his characters,
he steps into the ride for a cameo. He said he's not
surprised at the enduring draw of his most famous
creation, but he's quick to distribute the credit
for Spidey's longevity.
"The
people who are doing the stories after I stopped,
and the people who are doing the cartoons and the
rides and the motion pictures are doing such a fantastically
wonderful job that the public seems to have a renewed
interest in Spider-Man every time (something new)
comes out," he said.
Interestingly
enough, Universal rival Disney bought the Marvel empire
in 2009 for more than $4 billion, but a licensing
agreement keeps the Spider-Man ride firmly in Universal's
clutches at the Florida theme park.
Universal
opens another 3-D ride, based on the animated "Despicable
Me" movie, this summer featuring similar 3-D
technology. It will be on the other property at the
Orlando park, called Universal Studios, which requires
a separate admission. (Credit: AP)
Why
Paramount Studios Gets 'Avengers' Credit; Not Disney!...
Knowing
Disney wanted to turn 'The Avengers' into a franchise
and bank on the success of 'Iron Man' after buying
Marvel for $4 billion dollars, Paramount's top brass
negotiated a deal in which it continues to collect
8% of the B.O. as part of fees it would have earned
for distribbing the picture, as it did with the two
'Iron Man' pics, 'Thor' and 'Captain America.'"
To a point: Whenever 'The Avengers' is discussed,
it's Disney that's managing the superheroes, with
the studio bringing the pic's thesps to its D23 Expo,
in Anaheim, California.
'Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance' is in the money...
Movie
website portal Box Office Mojo reports Ghost Rider:
Spirit of Vengeance earned at least $9.7 million this
weekend, though data remains somewhat incomplete at
this moment. Based on the information that is available,
the movie has earned a total of $58 million overseas
so far.
The Wolverine (2013)
I
won’t lie to you, I have been talking to writers…
I’m a big fan of the Japanese saga in the comic
book. Hugh Jackman. In September 2009, Gavin Hood
speculated that there will be a sequel to X-Men Origins:
Wolverine, which will be set in Japan. During one
of the post credits scenes Logan is seen drinking
at a bar in Japan. Such a location was the subject
of Claremont and Miller's series, which was not in
the first film as Jackman felt "what we need
to do is establish who [Logan] is and find out how
he became Wolverine". Jackman stated the Claremont-Miller
series is his favorite Wolverine story. Of the Japanese
arc, Jackman also stated that:“..there are so
many areas of that Japanese story, I love the idea
of this kind of anarchic character, the outsider,
being in this world – I can see it aesthetically,
too – full of honor and tradition and customs
and someone who’s really anti-all of that, and
trying to negotiate his way. The idea of the samurai,
too – and the tradition there. It’s really
great. In the comic book he gets his ass kicked by
a couple of samurai – not even mutants. He’s
shocked by that at first.” Jackman added that
another Wolverine film would be a follow-up rather
than continuing on from X-Men: The Last Stand. The
inclusion of Deadpool and Gambit also leads to the
possibilities of their own spin-offs. Before Wolverine's
release, Lauren Shuler Donner approached Simon Beaufoy
to write the script, but he did not feel confident
enough to commit. On May 5, 2009, just four days after
its initial weekend run, the sequel was officially
confirmed. A Deadpool spin-off has also been confirmed
with Ryan Reynolds attached to reprise the role of
Wade Wilson, but producer Shuler Donner stated that
she wants to "ignore the version of Deadpool
that we saw in Wolverine and just start over again.
Reboot it." Christopher McQuarrie, who went uncredited
for his work on X-Men, was hired to write the screenplay
for the Wolverine sequel in August 2009. According
to Lauren Shuler-Donner, the sequel will focus on
the relationship between Wolverine and Mariko, the
daughter of a Japanese crime lord, and what happens
to him in Japan. Wolverine will have a different fighting
style due to Mariko's father having "this stick-like
weapon. There'll be samurai, ninja, katana blades,
different forms of martial arts – mano-a-mano,
extreme fighting." She continued: "We want
to make it authentic so I think it's very likely we'll
be shooting in Japan. I think it's likely the characters
will speak English rather than Japanese with subtitles."
In January 2010, at the People's Choice Awards, Jackman
stated that the film will start shooting sometime
in 2011, and in March 2010 McQuarrie declared that
the screenplay was finished for production to start
in January the following year. In October 2010, it
was confirmed that Darren Aronofsky would direct the
film. Jackman commented that with Darren Aronofsky
directing that Wolverine 2 will not be "usual"
stating, "This is, hopefully for me, going to
be out of the box. It’s going to be the best
one, I hope... Well, I would say that, but I really
do feel that, and I feel this is going to be very
different. This is Wolverine. This is not Popeye.
He’s kind of dark... But, you know, this is a
change of pace. Chris McQuarrie, who wrote The Usual
Suspects, has written the script, so that’ll
give you a good clue. [Aronofsky’s] going to
make it fantastic. There’s going to be some meat
on the bones. There will be something to think about
as you leave the theater, for sure”. Bryan Singer
was invited by Shuler Donner to direct, but declined.
In November 2010, Aronofsky stated that the title
of the film will be The Wolverine and described the
film as a "one-off" rather than a sequel.
Also in November, Fox Filmed Entertainment sent out
a press release stating that they have signed Darren
Aronofsky and his production company Protozoa Pictures
to a new two-year, overall deal. Under the deal, Protozoa
will develop and produce films for both 20th Century
Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures. Aronofsky’s
debut picture under the pact will be The Wolverine.
It had been reported that the film would begin principal
photography in March 2011 in New York City before
the production moves to Japan for the bulk of shooting.
In March 2011, Darren Aronofsky bowed out of directing
the film, saying the project would keep him out of
the country for too long. In a joint statement with
Fox, Aronofsky stated, "As I talked more about
the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear
that the production of The Wolverine would keep me
out of the country for almost a year... I was not
comfortable being away from my family for that length
of time. I am sad that I won't be able to see the
project through, as it is a terrific script and I
was very much looking forward to working with my friend,
Hugh Jackman, again". Fox also decided to be
"in no rush" to start the production due
to the damage incurred in Japan by the 2011 Tohoku
earthquake and tsunami. In June 16, 2011 James Mangold
was chosen to direct the film, having previously been
on a shortlist which included directors José
Padilha, Doug Liman, Antoine Fuqua, Mark Romanek,
Justin Lin, and Gavin O'Connor. On June 27, Jackman
said in an interview that filming for The Wolverine
would start in October. Silver Samurai will be the
film's villain. In September 2011, filming was postponed
to Spring 2012 so Jackman can work on Les Misérables.
Location include both Vancouver and Tokyo, with Mark
Bomback working on a rewrite of McQuarrie's script.
A July 26, 2013 release date has been set.
If
it sounds like 2012 is going to be a pretty good year
for superhero movies, both on an entertainment front
(for fans) and business angle (for studios etc), that's
because it is. Enjoy brigadiers, and as Marvel living
legend Stan Lee would say - Excelsior!
News
Hollywood
And AussieWood Movie And Celebrity News - 2nd March
2012
'Ocean's
Eleven' most popular movie remake...
'Ocean's
Eleven' has been chosen as the best movie remake of
all time in a recent poll.
The
movie, which is based on an original 1960 film, hit
screens in 2001 and went on to gross over 450 million
dollars worldwide.
It
sees Clooney lead an all-star cast of Brad Pitt, Matt
Damon and Julia Roberts in an attempted casino robbery
in Las Vegas.
Danny
Ocean and his eleven accomplices plan to rob three
Las Vegas casinos simultaneously.
Clooney
has been dating former WWE wrestler - diva Stacey
Keibler for over 6 months and they attended the Oscars
together.
Leading
man Clooney was up for a Best Actor and Best Adapted
Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
And
despite losing out on the Best Actor accolade, Clooney's
girlfriend Stacy Keibler made sure he went home with
an Oscar of his own as her dress appeared to have
been inspired by the statuette.
Attending
her first Academy Awards on Clooney's arm, Keibler
looked stunning in a gold Grecian-style Marchesa creation.
Ocean's
Eleven (2001)
Director:
Steven Soderbergh
Writers: George Clayton Johnson (1960 story), Jack
Golden Russell (1960 story)
Stars: George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts
Top
10 Best Remakes...
1.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
2. The Mummy (1999)
3. King Kong (2005)
4. The Italian Job (2003)
5. Cape Fear (1991)
6. The Parent Trap (1998)
7. Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)
8. Dawn of the Dead (2004)
9. Scarface (1983)
10. Alfie (2004)
Top
10 Worst Remakes
1.
Arthur (2011)
2. The Wicker Man (2006)
3. Fame (2009)
4. The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
5. Clash of the Titans (2010)
6. Planet of the Apes (2001)
7. Piranha 3-D (2010)
8. House of Wax (2005)
9. Freaky Friday (2003)
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis arm wrestle...
Hollywood
tough guys and action heroes Sylvester Stallone and
Bruce Willis challenged each other to an arm wrestle
during a recent night out.
The
actors were enjoying a meal with their respective
wives when they started arguing about who was in better
shape.
Stallone,
65, challenged 56-year-old Willis to an arm wrestling
match and the pair then swept aside glasses, cutlery
and plates to lock arms and start their fight.
Diners
at nearby tables were initially stunned but as as
they recognised the wrestler like actors they started
cheering and Willis and Stallone grunted, groaned
and wheezed for several minutes.
However,
the men's wives were not impressed and asked them
to "break it up", which they duly listened
to.
It's
understood that soon after their meal, Stallone went
into hospital to have an operation on his shoulder,
although it is not thought to have any link to his
night out with Willis.
A
Media Man agency spokesperson said "We suspect
this may be another elaborate publicity stunt by Team
Stallone, although we can't prove it. Stallone fans
will recall that only a week ago Stallone was photographed
in a hospital bed alongside long time mate Arnold
Schwarzenegger, both nursing the same injury, and
Arnold took a photo for the world to see. Well, as
least the cast of Expendables 2 is doing well, and
it seems that they sure as heck know how to promote
a movie".
Action
movie fans take note however that in the filming of
the original Expendables WWE wrestling legend "Stone
Cold" Steve Austin did break the neck of Stallone
for real, or so the story goes.
James Bond studio makes £3.9m loss...
Pinewood
Shepperton studios slumped to a £3.9m loss in
2011 after it failed in an attempt to build replicas
of Paris, New York and Amsterdam on green belt land.
The
studios enjoyed record revenues of £50.7m in
2011, up by 17 per cent after it filmed scenes for
movies such as The Hobbit and the next James Bond
film, Skyfall. But it took an exceptional charge of
£7.1m reflecting five years of costs for its
"Project Pinewood" application, which officials
turned down in January. This pushed the company, which
is majority owned by the property group Peel Holdings,
£3.9m into the red, after profits of £5.8m
the previous year.
Project
Pinewood would have seen the creation of a "purpose-built"
film set with 1,400 permanent homes inside the streetscape
buildings at Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire. The project
would have cost £200m and created almost 1,000
jobs in the next 10 years, with 420 affordable homes
offered inside the film sets. But it was fiercely
resisted by campaigners.
The
Pinewood and Shepperton studios have been home to
more than 1,500 films in the last 75 years, while
the two studios and the company's Teddington site
have hosted more than 600 television shows.
Clooney talks Brad Pitt friendship...
George
Clooney doesn't spend as much time with Brad Pitt
as people think.
The
50-year-old 'Descendants' actor - who went head-to-head
with Brad for the Best Actor award at Sunday night's
(26.02.12) Oscars, before losing out to Jean Dujardin
- admits that contrary to popular belief, they only
get chance to catch up every couple of months.
He
said: 'People think Brad and I hang out all the time,
but the truth is that we see each other very rarely,
maybe a couple times a year.
'I've
had great fun spending time with my friend again over
the awards season.'
But
George says that when they do get to meet, he has
nothing but admiration for the 'Moneyball' actor -
who is raising six children with partner Angelina
Jolie.
The
former 'ER' star - who is dating former wrestler Stacy
Keibler - told The Advocate: 'Not only do I enjoy
him as a person and respect his talent, but I also
love what he does in the world. I can't speak highly
enough about how hard he works at making the world
better. I'm very proud to call him my friend.'
Aussie actor Jai Courtney secures role in Die Hard
film...
Australian
actor Jai Courtney has landed a potential career making
role as Bruce Willis's son in the next instalment
of the Die Hard franchise.
Courtney,
25, has had roles in Packed To The Rafters and Spartacus:
Blood and Sand and also filmed a modest role in the
Tom Cruise action drama flick One Shot.
He
will star alongside Willis in A Good Day To Die Hard,
the fifth Die Hard franchise.
The
movie is expected to hit the big screen early next
year.
Russell Crowe in Talks to Join Darren Aronofsky’s
‘Noah’...
Russell
Crowe has expressed interest in taking on the title
role of director Darren Aronofsky‘s new project,
“Noah”.
Based
on the biblical tale of Noah’s Ark, the movie
will be Aronofsky’s first since the critically
acclaimed “Black Swan”. While following
some of the classic plot points of the original tale,
“Noah” will approach the story from a new
perspective. This modern Noah will be played as a
man who has a deep love for earth and it’s inhabitants,
but who is heartbroken over the way humans have taken
advantage of the planet.
When
asked about the film’s religious connotations,
Aronofsky responded, "I don’t think it’s
a very religious story. I think it’s a great
fable that’s part of so many different religions
and spiritual practices. I just think it’s a
great story that’s never been on film. I want
to make a big event film, and I think it can be that."
The
director, who arrived on to the scene with 1998's
“Pi”, has made it clear from the start that
he wanted Crowe on board. When the “Gladiator”
star found out he was being eyed for the film, he
coyly tweeted to his fans, “And I’m eyeing
him right back…whole lot of eyeing."
Other
names that were thrown around for the role included
Liam Neeson, Christian Bale, and Michael Fassbender.
The project received big buzz even before Crowe’s
involvement, after it was announced that its budget
would be a substantial $130 million.
Noah
is due to start filming this July and will hit the
cinema in 2013.
Mel Gibson completes anger management...
Australian
Mel Gibson has completed a course of court-ordered
anger management therapy as part of his probation.
The
movie star pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor battery
charge, relating to an alleged attack on ex-girlfriend
Oksana Grigorieva in 2010, and was sentenced to three
years’ probation, 16 hours of community service
and 52 weeks of counseling to curb his infamous temper.
He
fulfilled the community service requirements last
year and has continued to impress Los Angeles Superior
Court Judge Stephanie Sautner with his efforts by
completing additional therapy sessions too.
Popular
entertainment news website TMZ has reported the actor
will finally be off the hook if he stays out of trouble
for two more years.
Gibson
is understood to be looking to release his movie 'Get
The Gringo' via Icon Film Distribution Australia.
Icon is planning a traditional theatrical release
despite North American plans to launch an exclusive
video-on-demand (VOD) offer.
The
US deal will result in the action-thriller being distributed
by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment from May 1
on DirecTV, which will charge $10.99 per home viewing,
according to Deadline.com. A wider release on Blu-ray,
VOD, and digital download will be rolled out after
one month.
In
a statement, Fox Home Entertainment president Mike
Dunn said: "As digital distribution evolves,
we are constantly looking at new ways to bring the
consumer greater access than ever before to our movies.
Reaching nearly 20 million households on the DirecTV
premium platform offers us an opportunity to explore
innovative approaches like this one for Get The Gringo."
Icon
Film Distribution is set to release the film in Australia
on May 12.
Wrestling Legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper In
Fancypants Movie...
Fancypants
is a 2011 film directed by Joshua Russell and starring
Patrick Gleason, Roddy Piper, and Robert Carradine.
Featuring Nick Turturro, Richard Kind, and introducing
Jackson Dunn.
It
is a comedy/drama about a professional wrestler who
is afraid of conflict in real life. He is nearing
the end of his career and finds out he has one fan
left in an 8-year old boy, who hides a secret that
will change Leo's life forever. The film was shot
entirely on location in Chicago.
The
film won Best Feature at the 2011 Sunscreen Film Festival
in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was an official selection
at the 2011 Seattle True Independent Film Festival.
Roddy
Piper is also rumoured to be one of the house-mates
in upcoming WWE reality TV show, 'Legends House'.
The Four Horsemen Including Ric Flair To Be Inducted
Into WWE Hall Of Fame 2012; Jim Ross Tweets - 27th
Feb 2012...
Ross
on Ric Flair’s Birthday: Happy Birthday to Ric
Flair. Naitch called me this past week to catch up.
He’s got a great opportunity with Coca Cola’s
energy drink along with his state lottery work. I
went on You Tube and checked out Ric’s TV commercials
for the lotteries he promotes and they were hilarious.
Some
of my fondest memories in the business involve Ric
Flair and I’m so blessed to have been able to
broadcast not only many Ric Flair bout but @ShawnMichaels
bouts over the years, too as they are widely considered
the two, best, all around pro wrestlers ever. That’s
a debate that will rage on until the end of time but
no one can intelligently say that Naitch and HBK aren’t
on an abbreviated list of the best ever.
Keep
checking Street
Corner and the Media
Man blog network for more on these developing
news stories and more.
News
Marvel
Entertainment Movies: Amazing Spider-Man, Avengers,
The Wolverine and Ghost Rider - February 2012
Hollywood
is continuing its lover affair with superhero themes,
movie revamps and the like, and Australian fans are
lapping it up with the superhero jackpot bonanza.
This
year we're looking at a bush tucker bag of sequels,
prequels, remakes... you name it. The Hollywood studios
will be pumping out their best efforts in order to
make as much money as they can muster, and who can
blame them.
Entertainment
kingpin Marvel Entertainment are going to be spinning
out their “The Amazing Spider-Man”, hitting
us hard with "The Avengers", "Ghost
Rider" is about to ride into "Sin City"
Sydney, Australia, and then there's Australia's favorite
son, Hugh Jackman back in "The Wolverine".
The
Warner Bros. - DC Comics tag-team is going to attempt
to combat that Marvel onslaught with the next instalment
of Batman - "The Dark Knight Rises", but
most tipsters are picking Marvel to win the movie
superhero fight over DC Comics this year, but time
will tell.
Here’s
a peek at some of this year’s coming attractions...(US
dates)
Nicolas
Cage provides a winter warm-up with “Ghost Rider:
Spirit of Vengeance” (Feb. 17), returning as
the bounty hunter from hell on a mission to rescue
a child from the devil.
“The
Avengers” (May 4), teaming Robert Downey Jr.
as Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans
as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as the Incredible
Hulk, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy
Renner as Hawkeye.
Next
is “The Amazing Spider-Man” (July 3), with
Andrew Garfield taking over as Peter Parker in director
Marc Webb’s new take on how a mutant spider bite
turns a teen into a web-slinging hero.
Christian
Bale returns as Batman in “The Dark Knight Rises”
(July 20), director Christopher Nolan’s third
and final tale of the well to do vigilante with all
the cool gadgets. Anne Hathaway joins the cast as
Catwoman.
After
the late Heath Ledger’s Academy Award-winning
performance as the Joker in “The Dark Knight,”
Nolan went with a lesser-known villain: This time,
it’s Bane (Tom Hardy), known to comic-book fans
as the brute who breaks Batman’s back and puts
him in a wheelchair.
The
Avengers are assembling...
Disney
released more stills from its superhero superteam
movie reving up fans who are eagerly awaiting the
answers to the age-old question, who would win in
a fight between The Incredible Hulk and The Mighty
Thor.
The
first image shows Captain America (Chris Evans) in
full updated costume and shield, flanked by Avengers
teammates Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow
(Scarlett Joahnsson), the three heroes walking as
if they mean business. The second still is slightly
less dramatic, simply showing Thor (Chris Hemsworth)
gripping a conference room chair, pondering heavy
thoughts next to S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Coulson (Clark
Gregg).
"When
you walk out of your trailer and you bump into Chris
Hemsworth with the cape on and you see Downey in the
Iron Man suit and that’s when you really get
excited and you start geeking out a bit,” Evans
told The News last year from the film's New Mexico
set.
Fans
are already starting to geek out, more than two months
before the film's May 4 (U.S) release date.
The
Marvel Studios movie, which is directed by fanboy
favorite Joss Whedon, unites three franchises (Iron
Man, Thor, Captain America and The Hulk) within an
even bigger franchise that’s expected to be one
of the biggest box office hits of all time.
Avengers
News cont...
Marvel
Studios presents in association with Paramount Pictures
“Marvel’s The Avengers”--the super
hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel
super heroes Iron Man, the Incredible Hulk, Thor,
Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an
unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety
and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international
peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself
in need of a team to pull the world back from the
brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment
effort begins.
Starring
Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Samuel
L. Jackson, and directed by Joss Whedon from a screenplay
by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers”
is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series
“The Avengers,” first published in 1963
and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself
for an exciting event movie, packed with action and
spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s
The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.
Marvel
Release Dates Updated (U.S)
In
addition to "Marvel's The Avengers," Marvel
Studios will release a slate of films based on the
Marvel characters including "Iron Man 3"
on May 3, 2013; and "Thor 2" on November
15, 2013.
Andrew Garfield as Spiderman Featured in an Avengers
(English, 2012) Cameo...
Mumbai,
Feb 13, 2012 - A few days ago we reported the rampant
Internet rumor that Andrew Garfield’s Spiderman
would be featured in an Avengers cameo. All of this
was built off a statement made by actress Jenny Agutter
who has a small role in the Whedon production. Well,
we’ve stumbled across another source who confirms
Spider mans cameo in Avengers.
“This
will be similar to how Wolverine made a quick cameo
in X-Men: First Class and Sony’s going to make
sure to promote their new Spiderman movie any way
they can. Andrew (Garfield) isn’t a widely known
actor so they want to get his face on everything,
including The Avengers even if it’s for a couple
seconds.”
This
is an absolute multiple bonanza for the superhero
fans.
Starring
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris
Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom
Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel
L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon,
“Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on
the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The
Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics
institution ever since.
“Marvel’s
The Avengers” is presented by Marvel Studios
in association with Paramount Pictures. The film is
being produced by Marvel Studios’ President Kevin
Feige and executive produced by Alan Fine, Stan Lee,
Jon Favreau, Louis D’Esposito, Patricia Whitcher,
Victoria Alonso and Jeremy Latcham. The film is distributed
by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The
movie is to release in India on 27th April, 2011.
The Wolverine Gets Release Date...
It
is official, a sequel to that 2009 X-Men Origins:
Wolverine movie will be coming to a theatre near you
on or around July 26th 2013 (depends if your in the
U.S, Australia or elsewhere). After months of production
delays, including replacing Darren Aranofsky as director,
that cigar smoking, 'bub' saying, furry Canadian Logan
will once again rip things up. The film sequel is
running with the title: The Wolverine and will take
Logan to Japan where he finds a forbidden romance
and the Silver Samurai to deal with. Hugh Jackman
has already praised the script as being "one
of the best we've ever had." This is good news
for those fans and critics who felt the first Wolverine
movie offering could have been better. We trust that
director James Mangold and Hugh Jackman deliver on
this to keep both Marvel hardcore and casual fans
happy. What the critics will think is anyone's guess,
but as a few stars have noted - movies are made for
fans (not critics).
'Ghost Rider' movie controversy; Red hot back story...
The
new "Ghost Rider" movie's ticket sales are
not very strong, but the controversy raging in the
comic-book community is like a mega fireball.
The
story begins back in 1972, when the flaming motercyclist
was created at Marvel Comics by writer Mike Friedrich,
editor Roy Thomas and artist Mike Ploog. Comics creators
in those days - and often today - don't own anything
they create for the major publishing houses, because
of a contract called "work for hire." But
when the first "Ghost Rider" movie came
out in 2007, Friedrich sued Marvel for partial ownership
of the character on a technicality - which would result
in a windfall from the movie.
He
desperately needed the money. Friedrich, now 69, is
unemployed, broke and suffering from liver problems.
He has been getting through the days by selling autographed
"Ghost Rider" items at conventions as a
paid guest, which according to documents amounted
to a total of $17,000.
But
ownership of trademark and copyright isn't something
that comics publishers take lightly. Both of the major
comic publishers (ala Marvel and DC Comics) make more
income from licensing their library of characters
than they do selling comic books. Here's the thing:
According to U.S. law, failure to defend a trademark
can lead to losing it.
So
Marvel - and parent company Disney - went after the
lawsuit, including a countersuit demanding the $17,000.
They were victorious. In December, the court threw
out Friedrich's suit and ordered him to pay Marvel.
Also, his future income was constrained, in that he
can sign and sell only "Ghost Rider" material
that he buys retail.
The
creative and fan community responded with fury. Blogs
across the Internet excoriated Marvel, or started
petitions for the $17,000 to be forgiven. Steve Niles,
creator of "30 Days of Night," led a charge
on Twitter and set up a Facebook page for contributions
(www.steveniles.com/gary.html). Creators such as Gail
Simone ("Batgirl") and Jill Thompson ("Scary
Godmother") tweeted encouragement. Longtime creators'-rights
champion Neal Adams was one of many who auctioned
original art, with proceeds going to Friedrich.
As
you might expect, there were calls to boycott the
new film, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance."
That might have contributed to the film's disappointing
third-place finish on its opening weekend in the U.S,
with $22 million at the U.S box office.
If
the movie did well, it would still be overshadowed
by the back story - comics creators and fans rising
up like a tidal wave to help one of their own.
What
a red hot and real superhero story.
Check
out the "Support Gary Friedrich" Facebook
page (www.facebook.com/supportgaryfriedrich) for more.
Marvel Comics and Movies Alive And Well At Bwin.Party
Digital Entertainment...
Marvel
superhero fans - great news... more superhero themed
online games rumoured to be soon hitting PartyCasino.
Stay tuned to the Media
Man network for more on that.
If
it sounds like 2012 is going to be a pretty good year
for superhero movies, both on an entertainment front
(for fans) and business angle (for studios etc), that's
because it is. Enjoy brigadiers, and as Marvel living
legend Stan Lee would say - Excelsior!
News
Tobey
Maguire Pays $80,000; Lawsuit Settled Over High-Stakes
Hollywood Poker Games - 28th Nov 2011
Leonardo
DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire told to ease off high stakes
poker
Frank Sinatra Film May Get Up
With Martin Scorsese And Leonardo DiCaprio - 27th
November 2011
Leonardo
DiCaprio Sydney Party In Kings Cross Sin City Sydney;
80 Women - 21st November 2011
James
Bond 007 News, by Greg Tingle - 11th July 2011
Media
Man Entertainment News; Marvel Entertainment; Paramount
Pictures, Casinos, James Bond, WWE - 7th July 2011
Marvel
Entertainment, DC Comics; Warner Bros, Marvel Comics
Et United In Spirit By Death Of Gene Colan; Friendly
Rivalry Continues - 28th June 2011
Frank
Miller's Sin City Comes To The World's Largest Online
Casino
Marvel
Legend Stan Lee On 'Captain America' And 'Amazing
Spider-Man' Cameos; No 'X-Men: First Class' - 19th
May 2011
Marvel
Entertainment smashing movie records - 15th May 2011
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The
Terminator Tempting Arnold Schwarzenegger, by Greg
Tingle - 28th April 2011
Arnie
is looking to leap forward from his role as the Governator,
he's ready to return to his signature role as the
Terminator - the man you love to hate.
The
Hollywood, sporting and political icon is ready for
action, and his reps at CAA, have put together a sweet
offer that it's pitching to the studios that includes
rights to produce a new Terminator sequel, which would
be directed by Justin Lin, just off doing Fast Five,
which opens domestically Friday, and produced by Robert
Cort. No screenwriter has come on board as of press,
but that may change soon.
There's
interest in bringing back The Terminator franchise,
which has pumped out four flicks to date, ranging
from the original James Cameron-directed 1984 release
The Terminator and its sequel, 1991's Terminator 2:
Judgment Day, to the last film in the series, 2009's
Terminator Salvation, the only one in which Schwarzenegger
did not play in.
When
the movie's rights holder the Halcyon Group went through
bankruptcy in 2010, Lionsgate and Sony joined together
in an unsuccessful bid to snatch the franchise for
themselves. More recently, Universal has been talking
to CAA about tackling the project. But winning the
package could be very expensive. In last year's bankruptcy
proceedings, Pacificor, a Santa Barbara-based hedge
fund, won the rights to the property for $29.5 million
plus a promise to pay Halcyon $5 million for each
sequel that is produced. Pacificor would be part of
any new production.
It's
going to see if anyone gets terminated in the process.
Hasta la vista, baby.
News
Australian
And Hollywood Gambling TV Movie News, by Greg Tingle
- 10th April 2011
Australian's
Kerry Packer and Ita Buttrose In New Cleo TV Show...
Gambling
and media fans. You won't have to wait much longer.
The late Kerry Packer (played by actor Rob Carlton)
will be returning to Australian TV screens (and internet).
Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo, promises to be a
quality production that will also show some of the
more intimate details of the relationship between
the late Packer and Ita, as well as show us a bit
of our mate, Jack Thompson (in a Cleo spread no less).
Jack is understood to be pleased with the choice of
model just quietly. Yeah, we're going to get some
nudity boys and girls. The telemovie stars Asher Keddie
as Ita Buttrose and will tell the story of the magazines'
rise in the Australian media circa 1970s. The viewer
will also get some solid insight into the lives of
Packer and Buttrose. What do our friends at the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation have to say about it? "In
early 1972, 30 year old journalist and editor, Ita
Buttrose (Asher Keddie) and 35 year old Kerry Packer
(Rob Carlton), heir to what was then Australia's most
ruthlessly powerful and influential publishing family,
got together to create a magazine that became one
of the most dramatic sensations in Australian publishing
history. CLEO went on to help define women, Australia
and the relationship between the two." Buttrose,
who first cemented her place as the magazine's editor,
was a consultant on the production. "If there
was a supposed affair it didn't happen in this timeframe.
I have no idea if there was, we didn't raise it with
her," said producer John Edwards. A 2007 feature
article by The Sydney Morning Herald revealed on Packer
- Buttrose: "He soon proposed marriage and, despite
rumours to the contrary, she accepted him. But she
was less committed to the idea of marriage than he
was. She already had one failed marriage behind her,"
we were told. That marriage to Alasdair Macdonald
produced Buttrose's two children, Ben and Kate. "After
Ita accepted Kerry's proposal, Kerry told his wife
Ros, who knew about the affair anyway. She threatened
to take half his wealth and deny him custody of his
children, Gretel and James. Kerry found himself weighing
up the loss of half of his riches and the loss of
his children and finally had a change of heart. He
didn't want to lose either." Actor Carlton says
he approached the role of Packer with "an equal
dose of terror and exhilaration. Like most encounters
with Kerry Packer, I'm told". The two-part telemovie
will go to air at 8.30pm, Sunday 17 April (and) the
same time on Monday, 18 April, on ABC1. News media
is speculating is the son of the late KP, James Packer,
may get any positive spin offs or PR's from the telemovie
which is being touted to be the talk of 'Sin City'
Sydney, and perhaps even across Australia, such is
the interest in Packer and Buttrose. Buttrose is managed
by the Harry M. Miller Group, and Packer is well...
not easy to get in touch with, but the right approach
to Crown Casino directly can sometimes work wonders.
No, please don't ask us for more information on how
to, and no, we don't manage them either, but offer
online profiles on the two for folks who are interested.
From the leaks we've got on Paper-Cuts so far; 4 out
of 5 stars. "It's 1972. Skirts are up, pants
are down". Spin to win with Cleo, the telemovie,
not the slot!
Boardwalk
Empire On Australia's Foxtel ...
Tonight's
the night if you have pay tv service Foxtel. The much
hyped Boardwalk Empire continues it's dream run on
Australian screens. We're 3 episodes in now and the
storyline is awesome. We hear that tonight a fella...
a bad guy arrives in hospital, giving a shit load
of problems for corrupt Atlantic City treasurer Nucky
Thompson (Steve Buscemi). Thompson's bro Eli, the
city sheriff (Shea Whigham), to make sure the witness
dies in hospital. Michael K. Williams (The Wire's
Omar) plays Chalky White, a black leader. It's a bit
like a Yankee version of Underbelly, but most critics
say the acting and production is much better than
the Aussie equivalent. No offence Firass Dirani or
John "Vulcan" Seru. Just saying.
Boardwalk
Empire official website
'Gotti:
Three Generations'; Travolta...
The
flick stars John Travolta as the leader of the legendary
and notorious Gambino crime family is: "Gotti:
Three Generations." Film spokesman Steve Honig
confirmed the title Saturday and says the biopic about
"Dapper Don" John Gotti will be shot on
a budget of roughly $75 million this year. Honig says
details would be released April 12 at a news conference
in New York, where the project will be filmed. An
insider spoke on condition of anonymity. It will be
produced by Marc Fiore and directed by Nick Cassavetes.
The infamous mob leader died in prison in 2002. His
son, 47-year-old John "Junior" Gotti, sold
film rights to Fiore last year for an undisclosed
figure.
Sylvester
Stallone Movie And Casino Industry Hotshot To Do Rambo
Style Fashion...
Living
legend Stallone reckons he has what it takes for men's
fashion. The 64-year-old actor is working on his own
clothing line, inspired by his two iconic characters
in "Rambo" and "Rocky,". The collection,
set to debut in 2012, will fall under his new men's
lifestyle brand Sly Inc. and will feature "looks
for the rebel and the gentleman." "I thought
the time is now," Stallone said. "I've lived
a life where I know what has worked and what hasn't
worked. Clothing is the first step to building a character."
According to Sly Inc. president Michael Henry, the
collection, to be sold in mid-tier department stores
like Macy's, will first debut with jeans, shirts,
outerwear and watches, and will then follow by eyewear,
fragrance, shoes and grooming products. Stallone,
who recently starred in "The Expendables"
with Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke and Steve Austin,
said the idea to start his own line came up when he
lost 45 pounds between "Rambo 2" and "Rambo
3." "Nothing fit so I started buying custom
clothing," he said."I found out I really
like this world." He added, "I pay a great
deal of attention to the way I dress. When men learn
to put things together, they start taking care of
themselves better." I hope that what worked for
me will work for others," he said. "I really
believe I have an understanding of the male psyche
on all levels. I want to expose people to things that
will work and this is the apropos time. I'm not experienced
in this field, but we have the proper team to move
this vision along."
Snoop
Dogg Does 'Sin City' Sydney's Star City; Official
Presser...
Not
only is SNOOP DOGG a living legend in hip-hop, he
is also one of the greatest rappers and pop culture
icons of our time. In a musical career spanning over
two decades, Snoop has amassed an impressive discography
consisting of ten solo albums and has sold tens of
millions of albums worldwide. He has scored acting
roles in over 40 movies, featured in his own reality
show and has endorsed numerous pop culture brands.
It’s his natural appeal to both the hood and
Hollywood that has allowed Snoop to stay tremendously
relevant through the years. Since bursting into our
consciousness alongside famed producer Dr. Dre on
the 1992 classic “The Chronic”, Snoop has
remained a constant force in hip-hop and a household
name around the world. With 18 Top 20 singles in Australia,
including 3 number ones, NELLY is a Grammy Award winning
artist that has been topping the charts for over 10
years. With a genre-defying discography, its easy
to see why Billboard Magazine recognized Nelly as
the #3 artist of the decade (2000-2009). Hailing from
St. Louis, Nelly first burst onto the scene with the
massive worldwide hit “Country Grammar”,
and continued to consistently return to the charts
with hit after hit including “Hot in Herre”,
“Dilemma” and “Over & Over”.
Nelly became a rapper capable of crossing practically
all boundaries from the Dirty South to MTV and everything
in between. With 21 million album sales under his
belt, Nelly is also a successful actor and entrepreneur,
owning two clothing lines, Apple Bottoms and Vokal,
plus the energy drink Pimp Juice. Nelly’s latest
album “5.0” is out now featuring the hit
single “Just A Dream” which peaked at #3
on the Aria Charts. *Snoop Dogg has also appeared
in various film and TV shows such as Scrubs, Old School,
Bigg Snoop Dogg: Raw 'N Uncut Vol. 1, Snoop Dogg:
Drop It Like It's Hot, "Snoop Dogg's Father Hood",
Bigg Snoop Dogg Presents: The Adventures of Tha Blue
Carpet Treatment, Snoop Dogg: On the Record with Fuse,
Snoop Dogg: On the Record with Fuse - The Lost Tapes,
Doggy Dogg: Smokefest 1996 Tour Video, Hood of Horror,
Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror, Gang of Horror, Bigg
Snoop Dogg's Puff Puff Pass Tour, Youth Authority:
California and Snoopadelic Films Presents: Welcome
to tha House - The Doggumentary DVD.
News
Australian
Celeb News: Media, Casino And Gaming Celebs, by Greg
Tingle - 29th January 2011
G'day
punters, celebrities, journos, high rollers - casino
whales, gambling millionaires and billionaires, poker
sharks, entertainment news junkies, media tycoons,
politicians, insiders, outsiders, legal eagles,...
one and all. You know who you are. Seems just about
everyone is a celebrity, or knows a celebrity these
days. God know the poker world is full of them. This
is our Aussie celebrity special, featuring Aussie
celebs from the world of media, gaming, poker and
more, and even a few ring-ins for good measure. Media
Man and Gambling911 with celebrities you love
to love, and even a couple you love to hate...
Shane
Warne...And Liz Hurley...
Warnie
and Liz look to be in love, with each other and with
Twitter. The spinner is hanging out for a game of
poker or "poke her" with Liz, almost begging
for Hurley
Burley to come down under for a face to face. The
couple have taken to Twitter like ducks to water.
Warne and Hurley's developing romance is good fodder
out for their almost half a million Twitter followers.
They are now publicly planning her trip Down Under.
The poker - fashion babe might be in Australia within
weeks. Hurley has been tweeting about her new parrot,
Ping Pong. "I'm getting jealous of ping pong!
Think it's time you left ping pong alone for a while
& come visit me in Australia," Warne tweeted.
"No need for jealousy SW, she's not getting any
cuddles or kisses!" Hurley replied. The model
brunette is teaching the parrot to talk and Saints
fan Warne has urged her to teach it the St Kilda club
song. "Don't forget advance Australia fair !!!!
In tune too please ping pong . . . Ps organized kangaroos
and koalas for your trip," he wrote. The affair
between the former spinner and the movie - poker babe
went public in December and the pair were busted on
a romantic weekend in LA earlier this month. Both
have bounce back, and judging by the Tweets, can't
wait to bounce, fly and play together. Is it an Aussie
expression... a bird in the hand is worth two in the
bush? Never mind. Tweet me at twitter.com/mediamanint
Russell
Crowe: Ex Kiwi (On Defending His South Sydney Rabbitoh's
Star City Casino Deal)...
"The
football club is a completely different organisation
from the leagues club. We don't have any control over
what the leagues club does; they run their own game."
Crowe
then went on to defend the move by pitching Star
City as primarily an entertainment precinct and
putting forward society benefits from gaming revenue,
of which there is some truth in. Entertainment is
the name of the game, and its broken into sub sectors.
"This is an entertainment venue in general; it's
not just about gaming. Let's get real about this situation;
we're living in a state where they're telling us that
the revenue from poker machines is paying for our
hospitals. What we're talking about here is about
a connection between two organisations that are all
about entertainment, that are all about the future
of Sydney." Souths chief executive Shane Richardson
seconded the views put forward forward by NRL chief
executive David "Gambling" (MM satire) Gallop
this week that the association between sport and gambling
"is as old as sport itself". "Let's
be honest no sport in the world could ignore it, we're
not holier than thou, the NFL, the English Premier
League, wherever it is, there's gambling. As David
Gallop said all along, it's going to be there, it's
a major part of what sport is whether we like it or
not and we've got to be part of it to have some sort
of control over it." Crowe did concede that his
own personal beliefs on gambling were at odds with
the deal and recognised that problem gamblers were
an issue of concern. "I don't like them (pokies).
I'm not a fan of them; I've made that clear in the
past. "But in life I am a gambler. The fact that
I took on South Sydney underlines that." Media
Man and Gambling911 congratulate both the Rabbitohs,
Crowe and Tabcorp's Star City for taking a bet on
this. Life is a gamble, just don't let it get the
better of you, and always have fun... on and off the
field. Work hard and play harder!
Julian
Assange...
He
is possibly Australia's most notorious public figure
in a strange sort of way. Hero or Villain? Guess it
depends on who you ask. If you ask Prime Minister
Julia
Gillard we think you know the answer! This weekends'
The Australian newspaper fueled rumours that the James
Bond franchise might like to have an Assange type
in an upcoming flick. The journo penned...Ian Fleming
could have turned the WikiLeaks boss into a villain
in a James Bond novel. Given the pervasiveness of
the Bond myth, it is no surprise that Assange, like
Osama bin Laden before him, should be likened to a
Bond villain. He has been labelled many things both
positive and negative, from champion of free speech
to cyber-terrorist. Perhaps the strangest, and for
many fans of popular culture most glamorous, epithet
applied to Julian Assange is that of Bond villain.
Moreover, it is an epithet that has found widespread
media acceptance. The connection has been made in
blogs and especially tabloid newspapers, and equally
it has surfaced in such diverse publications as Britain's
The Guardian, The Financial Times and the US's The
Washington Post. The most conspicuous parallel between
Assange and the fantasy world of Ian Fleming's James
Bond involves the Bond villain's lair. The WikiLeaks
HQ, known as the Pionen data centre, is a remodelled
Swedish nuclear bunker set in a granite mountain face.
Special thanks to Simon Caterson at News Limited.
We like your work mate.
Elle
Macpherson...
The
once former flame of Brit gambling tycoon Damian Aspinall
has got busy again as of late. Elle
Macpherson and Cate Blanchett were guests at the
major bling event for the Portofino range at a dinner
in Geneva yesterday. They were joined by Lost's Matthew
Fox - looking heavier and a bit ratty in a Brad Pitt-style
Catweazle beard - plus Kevin Spacey, Ronan Keating
and more. We're sure it was a fun event. And we're
sure all received a special gift.
Damian
Aspinall (James Packer Mate) To Sell Aspinall's Casino
In Britain Following Bad Luck!..
Damian
does business with Australia's James
Packer, but its possible that soon that may come
to an end. The Brit has had relationships with glamorous
women, including the TV presenter Donna Air, Elle
Macpherson and Naomi Campbell. He confirmed the
scale of the club’s debts but said it was not
unusual for a casino business. He said: “You
are talking about a business that has £250 million
a year drop (the money staked by its clients). So
it is a bit circular. You are looking at unlucky years.
That is the business we are in. “Anyone in the
business with high value VIP tables will have years
when you do well and years when they don’t do
well because it is volatile." Asked about the
house’s performance last year, he added: “That’s
completely normal. You are talking about a volatile
business.” He said over a 10-year period Aspinall’s
was winning 18 per cent of the money gambled at its
tables. But he added: “You have years when you
do nine per cent and years when you do 24 per cent.”
The most recent available accounts for the club are
for 2009 and Mr Aspinall said the club was now doing
better. He said that despite his plan to move away
from the elite clubs founded by his father such businesses
would not die out. “I think there is a future.
You have got to be grown up about those sorts of investments.
You lose £10 million one week, and win £8
million the next. It is part of the business. When
you lose these amounts it is a knock for the casino
concerned, but you have weeks like that. We also had
a week where we won £11 million in six days.
It is big numbers these days. The winners could be
three people over a number of days, it can be one
person in one night. There are plenty of players all
over the world who have won and lost that sort of
money in a night."
Mel
Gibson...
American
law enforcement sources say Summit Entertainment which
is distributing Aussie Mel's upcoming movie, "The
Beaver" - gave Mel the final cut of the movie
on DVD. Mel
screened it at his home, and at 10:45 AM put the DVD
in his mailbox so a courier could pick it up and return
it to Summit. The DVD was rumoured to go missing in
action, not Mel!
Hugh
Jackman...
Hugh
Jackman, Oprah
Winfrey, Halle Berry and Marisa Tomei Among Oscar
Presenters...Tony Award winner and previous Academy
Awards host Hugh Jackman will be part of this year's
Oscar ceremony, according to the Associated Press.
Jackman will be a presenter at the 83rd Academy Awards.
Other presenters currently include Sandra Bullock,
Jeff Bridges, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry and Marisa
Tomei. Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements
of 2010 will be presented Feb. 27 at the Kodak Theatre
at Hollywood & Highland Center. The awards will
be televised live by the ABC Television Network beginning
at 8 PM ET. James Franco and Anne Hathaway will co-host
this year's ceremony. Jackman, who was seen on screen
in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine,"
earned a Tony Award for his work in the Broadway musical
The Boy From Oz. He is also known for his film roles
in the "X-Men"
trilogy, "Someone Like You," "Swordfish,"
"Kate and Leopold," "Van Helsing"
and the recent "The Fountain" and "Happy
Feet" (in voice). His stage credits also include
Trevor Nunn's staging of Oklahoma! at Britian's National
Theatre and award-winning work in productions of Sunset
Boulevard and Beauty and the Beast.
John
Travolta...(As John Gotti)...
Travolta
was at Amici restaurant in Brentwood a few nights
ago. He wasn't giving much away about taking the role.
But Marty Ingels, Executive Producer of the movie
was much more direct, stating Travolta will play the
lead role in the movie, "Gotti." Leaks tell
us James Franco has been approached to play John Gotti,
Jr. Bang! Hit us up for an update soon.
David
Gyngell...
Gyng
is tipped to be very shortly flying to the U.S to
test the waters re the upcoming float on the stock
market on his CVC. Nine
Entertainment's private equity owners will assess
the health of the local equity and advertising markets
this month. After which, they will decide the date
for a $5 billion listing of the television, magazine
and digital group. According to market sources, Nine's
owner, CVC Asia Pacific, is yet to decide on the listing
date although most observers expect the debt-laden
group to test the waters as soon as April if global
equity markets remain relatively strong. Management,
including newly installed chief executive David Gyngell,
will travel to the US next month to gauge the interest
of potential offshore investors.
Celebrity
Poker Pros: Tyron Krost And Stewart Scott: Celebrity
Stars Going Down In Ratings; Direct Response To Poor
Showing In Aussie Millions 2011...
These
couple of poker celebs were on fire at some point,
but lately a shower has been thrown on their parade.
Both are former Aussie Millions champs - Krost from
last year, Scott from 2009. Fellas, time to win some
big games again or you might not even be thought as
celebs any more. Start performing or might those sponsorship
deals with PartyGaming's
PartyPoker.com
dry up?
Van
Marcus...
Poker
pro Van Marcus, currently in Melbourne for Aussie
Millions, is the chap who has his red rare Ferrari
nicked from the Crown valet parking last year, in
a story that generated massive international headlines.
In the past days Marcus has been seeing driving around
Melbourne in what looks to be the same card, but this
time reportedly with a hot blonde or brunette in the
passenger seat. Hows the ride girls?
Australian
Chris Hemsworth Plays Father To Thor; Anthony Hopkins
Is Thor!...
The
Aussies and Brits are teaming up again in film, thanks
to our friends at Marvel Entertainment. The industry
is abuzz for Aussie Hemsworth and Brit Hopkins. Hopkins
has portrayed so many notable characters from history,
literature, and the arts, that it’s no surprise
we will see him in yet another role of stature. In
this year’s hotly anticipated Paramount
Pictures and Marvel
Entertainment epic adventure Thor, he will be
Odin, the major god of Norse mythology, and father
to Thor, (played by Australian Chris Hemsworth). The
film is based on the Stan
Lee comic book version, and directed by Kenneth
Branagh. Excelsior! Marvel Entertainment: Don't just
buy the comics and watch the movies, play the games
at PartyGaming. May the power of Thor be with you.
James
Packer And Co...
Marketing
and gaming advisers to James
Packer have leaked that they see merit in having
an Aussie Millions branded online slot game. They
saw the popularity of Cleopatra and Sinatra in an
online environment, and well as PartyGaming's World
Poker Tour slot in land based casinos. They have
not confirmed a Kerry Packer themed slot game, with
some concerns it may be a uncomfortable proposal for
one or two of the Packer family, however many punters
and insiders think that Kerry would have loved the
idea, and further would have loved the concept that
a slot game will his likeness via tribute slot would
actually make Crown
Limited money. PartyGaming,
WMS
and IGT
are keen to talk turkey with Crown Limited with their
online plans, which may also compliment what's in
store for the further development of Packer 50% owned
Betfair.
Who is tipped to the the contract?
We
think PartyGaming,
based on their strong US land based casino deals,
ink still drying over the last few days, but you will
just have to keep watching the space.
As
they say on TV, I'm a celebrity - Get Me Out Of Here!
*Media
Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet
portal development company. Gaming is just one of
a dozen sectors covered
*the
writer owns shares in Crown Limited and Ten Network
Holdings
News
Aussie
Celeb News; James Bond Casino Icon Connection, by
Greg Tingle - 29th December 2010
Season's
Greetings punters, entertainment news junkies, one
and all. Today we have a look at the latest from Aussiewood
and Hollywood powerhouses James Bond, with a Bondi
Beach twist, Marvel Entertainment (go Wolverine)..we
love you Hugh, Spider-Man, Underbelly and more.. Media
Man http://www.mediamanint.com
and Gambling911
with your celebrity and entertainment news fix, just
in time for the New Year. Ho Ho Ho!...
MGM
Emerging from Bankruptcy; Wants To Produce James Bond
23...
MGM
Studios is emerging from bankruptcy with a $500 million
line of credit, and its first Xmas wish is to produce
James Bond #23, rumoured to be directed by Sam Mendes
and starring Daniel Craig (again), despite many leaks
saying that means it will be a gay Bond (for real),
if you follow.
The
James Bond franchise has long been a fav of casino
and gambling lovers, with Casino Royale being the
top pick for most punters.
MGM
Studios has been going through the wars as of late,
with the filing of bankruptcy hanging around their
neck. Their massive financial troubles led to the
delay of not only The Hobbit, directed by New Zealander
Peter Jackson, but also James Bond 23 starring the
Daniel Craig.
The
studio just underwent a giant restructuring and was
able to acquire $500 million worth of credit from
financial powerhouse JP Morgan, a good lot of which
will likely be spent on the sequel to Quantum of Solace.
MGM is expected to partner with Sony for co-financing,
as it has done a few times previously with Casino
Royale and Quantum of Solace.
Bond
fans, did you know that 2012 marks the fiftieth anniversary
of Dr. No (1962), the very first James Bond movie
ever, which makes it bloody good timing to release
a new Bond movie. The studio will be attempting to
secure and shore up its cast, director, and screenplay
for the new movie in very short order.
The
studio had previously announced that Peter Morgan,
and frequent Bond collaborators Neal Purvis and Robert
Wade, would be penning a draft of Bond 23. Purvis
and Wade have worked on every James Bond flick since
The World Is Not Enough, and that includes Die Another
Day, Casino Royale, and Quantum of Solace - the last
two of which were rewritten, to some extent, by Paul
Haggis.
Rumors
have been flying for months have indicated that Sam
Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) is leading
the pack to direct the new movie. Now, Mendes is not
a filmmaker known for his action style skills. He
did however direct Road to Perdition, co-starring
none other than Daniel Craig.
As
of press, James Bond will not be film in 3D. Oh, did
we mention Media Man is the agent and manager for
John Seru who played bad guy Gabor in Bond's 'The
World Is Not Enough'. In Nine's 'Underbelly' Seru
placed Kiwi Steve in the following episodes: Alpha
and Omega, The Good Lieutenant, Hurt on Duty (2010),
Saving Face and Women in Uniform.
MGM
is still technically under bankruptcy protection for
a couple more months.
Marvel
Entertainment's The Avengers: New Mexico Connection...
Marvel
Entertainment's biggest film project of all time is
is now New Mexico’s biggest film production ever
as 'The Avengers' confirms its 2011 shooting locations.
Thor
not only hits off the summer movie season of 2011,
but it sets up events that will culminate in the Marvel
superhero team-up epic, The Avengers, the following
year. With story elements of Thor taking place in
New Mexico, and the production shooting in Santa Fe
and Galisteo, it’s of little surprise to see
Marvel Studios returning once again for their biggest
project ever.
New
Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Marvel Studios
officially announced the agreement making The Avengers
the single largest film production in the state’s
history. The current schedule has Joss Whedon’s
The Avengers shooting in New Mexico between April
and September of next year, using both Albuquerque
Studios and of course, the beautiful and vast surrounding
locations that so many other major Hollywood flicks
have used.
The
Avengers also is set to shoot action in Michigan and
New York but production will primarily take place
in New Mexico’s largest city Albuquerque.
Governor
Richardson talks to local economic benefits to New
Mexico: "In addition to being our biggest production
to date, The Avengers will be the most technologically
advanced and will provide cutting-edge training opportunities
for our crew… I’m announcing this as a Christmas
present of sorts to the people of New Mexico. This
is a perfect example of the incredible job creation,
economic impact and global visibility this industry
has brought our state over the past eight years, and
of the need to keep it moving forward."
So
Marvel heroes fans, be looking out for Chris Evans,
Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo,
Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Clark Gregg and
Samuel L. Jackson.
Thor
opens May 5, 2011; The First Avenger: Captain America
hits July 22, 2011 and The Avengers is scheduled to
debut May 4, 2012.
Spider-Man:
Broadway No Match For Movie; Spidy Fans Disappointed;
Would Rather Play Spider-Man Games And Play Dress
Up...
The
new and much talked about Spider-Man musical has another
problem stuck in its web. Sick to death of waiting
for the problematic Broadway show to officially open,
critics for two mainstream news companies released
early and negative reviews of the $65 million musical,
which won't officially open until February 7.
Writing
for Bloomberg News, the influential financial news
wire service, veteran critic John Simon slammed the
show as "an unfocused hodge-podge of story-telling,
myth-making and spectacle that comes up short in every
department. A few good songs would help, in which
department the show is sorely lacking," Simon
wrote in the review late Sunday night. Like most rock
stars, Bono and The Edge haven’t a clue about
writing for the theatre."
The
U2 legends wrote the score for the show, which was
directed by Lion King helmer Julie Taymor.
Both
Simon and Newsday's Linda Winer defended their premature
reviews on the grounds that the show was charging
full ticket prices in some cases more than $200 a
seat for the performances, and that the opening date
had been pushed back twice.
Winer
called the show's infamous high-flying acrobatics
"exciting and scary, in a circus way" but
dismissed the second act as "weak."
Simon
was also impressed with the flying scenes: "An
hour of anticipation for about 90 seconds of exhilaration,"
he wrote.
Would
you believe four actors have been injured during the
show's rehearsals, including a horrible injury to
lead aerialist Chris Tierney last week.
Critics
almost never publish their reviews of productions
before the official opening night. Spider-Man: Turn
Off the Dark has pushed back its debut twice.
The
New York Times said in a posting to its arts blog
that it would not review the show until the official
opening.
Media
Man loves Marvel Entertainment, Spider-Man and U2,
but this project does not sound good. Sorry guys.
Underbelly
TV Movie Legal Problems...
Network
Nine may be forced to shelve forever one of its Underbelly
telemovies because of legal action in the state of
New South Wales.
Tell
Them Lucifer Was Here, the first of 3vtelemovies being
made under the Underbelly Files title, tells the story
of the 1998 murders of Victoria cops Rod Miller and
Gary Silk.
After
a probing investigation by the Lorimer Task Force,
Bandali Debs and Jason Roberts were found guilty of
the double murder in 2003. Debs was sentenced to life
in prison, Roberts to 35 years.
The
subject seemed relatively safe... for true crime.
Reader may recall the first Underbelly could not be
screened in Victoria.
However,
anything that identifies "Debs" could be
a bit no go zone in NSW.
On
September 24, the Victorian Government Solicitor applied
to the Melbourne Magistrates Court to have Debs transferred
to a NSW prison for questioning over the death of
a Sydney prostitute 15 years ago.
Debs's
lawyer, Michael De Young, did not oppose the application,
saying his client maintained his innocence and was
confident of being acquitted and returned to Victoria.
New
South Wales Police have been trying for 2 years to
question Debs...also was convicted in 2007 of the
1997 murder of 18-year-old sex worker Kristy Harty...and
reckon they have enough evidence to link him to the
killing.
The
transfer order was granted by the court, but Debs
had 14 days to appeal the decision.
Channel
Nine has 3 options: rush the Silk-Miller telemovie
out before NSW police have laid any charges that might
arise from the interview; release the telemovie in
all states bar NSW if charges are laid; or hold off
for a national release until any case has been heard.
Nine
has has yet to comment on this matter.
Underbelly
#4 To Hit Aussie TV...
A
4th Underbelly series to screen in 2011 promises to
showcase the birth of organised crime in Australia.
Based
in Sydney in the roaring 1920s, Underbelly Razor tells
the story of the bloody battle between "vice
queens" Tilly Devine and her rival Kate Leigh.
The
Nine Network are calling it their most "ambitious
and daring" Underbelly series yet.
It
will be joined by 3 Underbelly telemovies - Tell Them
Lucifer was Here, Infiltration and The Man Who Got
Away...which were announced earlier in the year.
Aussie
Poker Celeb King Shane Warnie Tag Team With Wolverine
Hugh Jackman In Cricket Nets; Jackman Hit In Balls
(Almost) In Lead Up To Boxing Day Ashes Test...
The
tag team led the celebrity contingent to the Melbourne
Cricket Group for the prestigious Boxing Day Test.
'Our Hugh' got hit in the balls by a Warnie spinner,
so it seemed, but he had a cup on, perhaps taking
safeguards, after getting hit in the eye with a foreign
object at his Oprah Winfrey grand entrance via way
of flying fox a couple of weeks ago. Wolverine Jackman
joined other famous mugs in the crowd, including Opposition
Leader Tony 'The Bruiser' Abbott and veteran English
talk show king Sir Michael Parkinson aka 'Parkie'.
Premier Ted Baillieu and wife Robyn also tagged along,
as did Eddie "Everywhere" McGuire, Cathy
Freeman and Molly Meldrum. In a smart and rather cunning
move, just outside the MCG sports stars and entertainment
biz celebs tag teamed a game of cricket which raised
money for the McGrath Foundation. The foundation ambassador
Lee Furlong joined ex-cricketers Justin Langer and
Michael Slater, Glen Moriarty, Kris Smith and Guy
Sebastian at the friendly game. Earlier, Shane Warne
made one of his very first public appearances since
the "Hurley-burley", acting as host for
his fav Shane Warne Foundation's annual Boxing Day
breakfast at Crown. Warne mate, James Packer, attended,
along with wife Erica in a show of support. Singer
Leo Sayer also entertained to an appreciative crowd
that included Glenn Robbins, Mark Taylor, Ian Healy,
Aaron Hamill and Bill Brownless. A great day was had
by all, as best we can tell.
Aussie
Poker Celeb Shane Warne And UK Sort Liz Hurley: Come
Down Under And Come In Spinner?...
Is
Liz Hurley coming to Australia? Getting spotted at
Heathrow Airport sent press into a frenzy and created
munch speculation she will keep her date with Warnie.
Friends of Hurley told the Pommie press she had dumped
the cricket spin legend after learning he had sent
more than 100 sexy text messages to another woman
behind her back. Warnie is known for his ability to
sent sexy texts that can get the right response. Now
it appears Liz may have reconsidered after attempts
to stop an imminent divorce and rekindle her relationship
with husband Arun Nayar reportedly failed. During
her public flirtation with the spinner on Twitter,
Hurley wrote that she was keen to attend the January
3 "Pink Test," which supports the Jane McGrath
Foundation. Talk about a play on words "Pink
Test", got to love her form. Liz also told Warnie
she would "definitely" make an appearance
on his Channel Nine chat show if she made it to Sydney.
Sources close to the Aussie spinner have said the
cricketer was devastated after being apparently dropped
by Hurley, having previously confided his desire to
marry her. Both Hurley and Warne announced on Twitter
that they had split from their respective partners
shortly after spending 2 delightful, fun filled nights
together at a luxury London hotel earlier this month
and being papped kissing outside a restaurant. Warne
was last week caught in the outfield sending erotic
texts, including, "I want to see you riding me"
to middle-aged Melbourne mum Adele Angeleri. In an
apparent attempt to win Hurley back after the messages
were published in the British tabloids he logged back
on to Twitter to pen "No matter what anyone says
if you know in your heart… who cares what people
think / say !!!" Hurley was snatched in the airport
mess at Heathrow, where snowy conditions caused widespread
cancellations from Saturday, leaving over 100,000
punters stranded, having their patience tested. A
fellow traveler said the swimwear model and well loved
celeb babe "looked nervous" as she attempted
to blend in with the crowd, wearing large sunglasses
and dressing down. "She'd dressed down and it
was clear she wanted to be left alone," the witness
told The Sun. "She looked like a woman with a
lot on her mind." Liz’s office refused to
comment on her travel plans. Whatever the case, we
wish Liz (and Warnie) well on any of their upcoming
travel plans.
Betting
For Aussies On TV And Film Success: Not Yet...
Many
Australia's remain pissed that they are not able to
bet on financial outcomes of upcoming TV shows and
motion pictures. Passionate Aussies has been reading
reports filed by Media Man and Gambling911 on Box
Office betting exchanges, but none of the action has
come to Australia, so us Aussies can't be on it. We're
not sure any Yankees of Canooks got to bet on outcomes
either. Sly, Arnie and Wall Street - when you read
this, give us an update please. We want to bet on
movie and TV outcomes. PartyGaming and Virgin were
rumoured to have some interest in the concept, but
nothing has eventuated from our probe as yet. Oh,
if you want to see the way Hollywood used to work,
do yourself a favor and rent or buy 'The Last Mogul',
which told the career story of the late Lew Wasserman.
Oh, we heard you want a review, so here it is mates...
The
Last Mogul: The Life And Times Of Lew Wasserman...
For
the second half of the 20th century, Lew Wasserman
was without question the most powerful money man in
show business, even if most people had no idea who
he was. Born in Cleveland, OH, in 1913, Wasserman
started out booking music gigs for mob-controlled
clubs, and quickly became an agent for Music Corporation
of America, which became the most lucrative music
agency in America. Funny that. As Wasserman rose through
the ranks at MCA, he established such innovative business
practices as "packaging" talent i.e: booking
hot acts and artists only in a package deal with other
artists who were not as talented, to put it politely,
and took the company into managing acting talent in
Hollywood, where he re invented the film industry
forever by negotiating a ground-breaking deal for
James Stewart on the film Winchester '73, which reduced
the actor's up-front salary in favor of a cut of the
movie's profits, earning the actor a mint in the process.
Under Wasserman's lead at MCA, the company took over
Universal Pictures, established the studio's television
branch and made it the most important production outlet
in the business), created the hugely successful Universal
City studio tours, and expanded MCA's recording branch
into one of the biggest record companies in the world.
Wasserman was also politically well connected. Ronald
Reagan was one of his early clients when MCA want
Hollywood), and was reputed to have some handy connections
to organized crime. Wasserman was a secretive fellow
who did not give interviews or commit anything to
writing if it could be avoided, but he knew nearly
everyone in show business. The Last Mogul: The Life
and Times of Lew Wasserman is a documentary that through
interviews with his friends and business associates
beautifully showcases his remarkable career, from
his childhood in Ohio to his death in 2002. Yep, there's
mob ties and such, but hey, that's show business.
Wrap
Up...
Readers...
er, punters, how did you like our report? What films
and celebs take your liking? As Shane Warne says,
'How good was that?!". Have you been naughty
or nice? Did Santa give you what you had hoped for?
What have you got planned for New Year's Eve? Tell
us in the forum.
If
you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over
it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg
Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media
Man http://www.mediamanint.com
is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal
development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors
including gaming and offer political commentary and
analysis.
News
Aussiewood
- Hollywood Entertainment News, by Greg Tingle - 29th
November 2010
Sylvester
Stallone Sex Film 'The Party at Kitty and Stud's'
Sells For $400K on eBay...
Sly,
The Italian Stallion himself, is back in action…erotic
action, sort of... The rights to a soft-porn film
starring Sylvester Stallone four decades ago, was
sold on e-Bay for $412,100. The then strapped-for-cash
star made his on-screen debut in the 1970 film "The
Party at Kitty and Stud's." Stallone played Stud,
a young man who, along with his oversexed lover Kitty,
enjoys inviting various women into their bed. The
71-minute movie was eventually renamed "The Italian
Stallion" by Bryanston Distributors after the
actor became famous in "Rocky." Now that
the rights have been purchased (the owner has not
yet been identified), it's likely the film will be
re-released, The Sun reported. In an interview in
the 1970s, Stallone, now 64, told Playboy that he
was so poor that he had to take the role. "It
was either do that movie or rob someone because I
was at the end—at the very end—of my rope.
Instead of doing something desperate, I worked two
days for $200." After filming "Rocky,"
the erotic filmmakers tried to sell the movie back
to Stallone for $100,000, but the actor said he "wouldn't
pay two bucks for it," according to AOL's Moviefone.
Last year MGM unsuccessfully tried to buy the flick.
Sly, you've cum a long way since then.
U2
legend Bono Waits For Table At Australian Bondi Beaches'
Icebergs...
Bono
snuck into 'Sin City' Sydney on Saturday. He headed
for a eat and a drink as he often does when down under.
The renowned Irish rock singer, who spent two weeks
at Sydney's Bungan Beach with his family in 2006 completely
undetected, casually strolled into Rose Bay nosherie
Catalina on Sunday for a seafood feed with guitarist
The Edge (David Evans) and the eatery's owner, Michael
McMahon. On Saturday night he arrived unannounced
at Icebergs Dining Room and Bar at Bondi Beach and
like a normal person waited or a table at the "no
reservations" restaurant. "He was having
a red cocktail but didn't finish it because a table
became available," advised a deepthroat. No,
not a Stallone type of deepthroat you rascals. The
U2 360 tour begins in Melbourne this Wednesday night.
Avatar
Michelle Rodriguez Star Teams Up With Sea Shepherd
In Perth...
Hollywood
babe actress Michelle Rodriguez, star of Avatar, was
in Fremantle supporting anti-whaling activist group
Sea Shepherd. Rodriguez has been aboard Sea Shepherd’s
flagship vessel MY Steve Irwin. The crew are replenishing
supplies before heading to the Southern Ocean in December.
The trip, dubbed 'Operation No Compromise', will be
Sea Shepherd’s seventh mission into the frigid
waters of Antarctica to attempt to stop the slaughter
of whales by Japanese "scientific researchers".
Among the crew are three Perth residents including
former Labor Attorney General Jim McGinty’s brother
Kevin McGinty, Steven Bennett and Georgie Dicks. Captain
Locky MacLean said the crew are looking forward to
having Rodriguez on board. The group, which uses rather
militant art of war tactics in its fight against whaling,
made headlines early this year when their stealth
vessel the Ady Gill was "cut in half" by
Japanese whalers. This year, a new monohull fast vessel
called the Ocean Adventurer will replace the Ady Gill.
SS are currently seeking a large sponsor which would
give them the naming rights to use 'Godzilla'. Something
like that. Sea Shepherd’s Australian Director
Jeff Hansen said: "It is great to see high profile
people like Miss Rodriguez giving up their spare time
to help promote our fight to defend the whales being
illegally targeted in New Zealand and Australian waters".
Media Man lost good mate Peter Carrette this past
weekend, approximately 48 hours after doing photography
at the Bondi Beach 'No Compromise' gig at Bondi Beach
last Friday. R.I.P Peter. We miss you mate.
Darren
Aronofsky Explains 'The Wolverine' Aussie Hugh Jackman...
If
you're wondering why "Black Swan" director
Darren Aronofsky was hired to tackle "The Wolverine"
for 20th Century Fox, wonder no more. Aronofsky himself
has broken his silence on the "Wolverine"
front in an extensive interview with Movie City News.
According to the filmmaker, his reasons for choosing
the "Wolverine" non-sequel as his next project
are quite simple: in the end, he just wanted to have
a good time. "I'm just trying to have fun,"
he said. "I think, for the first time in my life,
you know, every single film that I've done so far
I've been the only person in the room who wants to
make the movie. And, I kind of am excited about doing
a film where actually everyone wants to make it just
to see what the experience is like and to see if I
can do what I do in that world." It's not like
I'm going to change my process," he added. "I'm
going to be working with the same team, and making,
you know, really trying to do something very, very
different and see what happens." During the interview,
Aronofsky said that he's received a large amount of
support both from franchise lead Hugh Jackman and
Fox Studios head Tom Rothman, joking that Rothman
"doesn't even know how gutsy it is" that
he hired the outside-the-box filmmaker for "The
Wolverine." "I've been looking for a situation
where everything lines up really well. This just makes
sense; I think I'm being hired because of who I am.
I'm not being hired to turn into someone. I'm being
hired to do what I do. I don't know if (Rothman) knows
exactly what he's bought, but we're definitely going
to make something great, you know, but it will be
very different, and that's what I do. We're going
to try and have a great time with it."
John
Travolta and Kelly Preston 'Overjoyed' With New Baby
Benjamin; Travolata Not Gay...
Living
legend and iconic star of Saturday Night Fever (the
movies and the online slot game), is delighted with
his new baby, but very unhappy about the gay rumours.
Actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston took to Travolta's
website earlier this week to announce the birth of
their 8-pound, 3-ounce son, Benjamin Travolta. "We
are overjoyed to announce the arrival of our son,
Ella's baby brother, Benjamin Travolta. Born November23,
2010 in Florida, Benjamin is healthy and doing beautifully.
Thank you for the congratulations messages and wishes...we
are beyond happy about the newest addition to our
family," the family said in the message. Travolta,
56, and Preston, 48, announced the pregnancy earlier
this year, celebrating with a dozen close friends
at a shower held at their Los Angeles-area home. "This
baby is such a healing baby," a family friend
told People magazine. The pregnancy was the first
bit of good news they had shared in a long time. "It's
impossible to keep a secret," they wrote in a
statement on Travolta's website in May, "especially
one as wonderful as this." We want to be the
first to share this great news with everyone that
we are expecting a new addition to our family,"
the online statement continued and like this week's
update, was signed "Love, John, Kelly and Ella."
John Travolta's family has been dealt another blow
as reports emerge that he has been allegedly cheating
on his wife...engaging in "lewd sex acts with
other men" as part of a "secret gay spa
subculture." Perez Hilton posted the story on
his website along with a cover of the National Enquirer,
carrying the headline "John Travolta Caught In
Cheating Scandal! "John Travolta has been cheating
on Kelly for years!" said Robert Randolph, author
of the memoir, You'll Never Spa in This Town Again.
"And when the details emerge, he's gonna make
Tiger Woods look like a boy scout." John has
been married to Kelly Preston for 19 years, with the
pair expecting their third child this year. They lost
their eldest son Jett in 2009 to an autism-related
seizure.
WWE
Studios Films Flop At Box Office; Perform Well In
DVD Rental Market...
Entertainment
trade publication Variety published a report today
on WWE Studios's new films strategy "flopping"
at the box office, but perhaps finding a market on
home video. Variety followed up on WWE's third quarter
earnings report last Thursday by noting WWE reported
$3.8 million in revenue related to "Legendary,"
despite the movie drawing a measly $200,000 at the
box office. WWE executive Jim Connelly told Variety
that WWE is banking on strong storefront marketing
at retail locations such as Walmart to help boost
DVD and Blu-ray sales of their movies. Variety also
reported on WWE pushing their slate of movies to theaters
simply for marketing purposes before pulling the movies
and releasing them on DVDs. That was apparent with
WWE Studios's theatrical release schedule for "Legendary"
and "Knucklehead." Related to the planned
launch of the WWE TV Network potentially in 2011,
Variety reports that WWE is looking to their slate
of movies to serve as "more high-profile programming"
on the new cable tele channel. Going forward, Jim
Connelly told Variety that WWE will be re-evaluating
their movie release schedule for 2011 as they begin
to roll out the next slate of low-budget movies in
theaters with an eye on home video. Variety concluded:
"For now, it appears as if the future of WWE
Studios will play out on the smallscreen."
Aussie's
Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban To Appear On Oprah Winfrey
Show Tomorrow; Australia Catches Oprah - Oprah House
Mania...
Australian
actress Nicole Kidman and huby singer Keith Urban
will be on The Oprah Winfrey Show tomorrow. Urban
has earlier confirmed that he would be performing
in the shows Ultimate Australian Adventure episodes
to be filmed later this year. "Tomorrow, two
of the hottest Aussies are here! Nicole Kidman and
Keith Urban! The countdown to Oprah's Ultimate Australian
Adventure starts now!," says a post on the official
Facebook page for The Oprah Winfrey Show. Keith Urban
was in The Oprah Winfrey Show earlier this November
where he confirmed his performance at the much anticipated
episodes set to be shot in Sydney this December. Urban
promoted his sixth studio album Get Closer to in the
United States. However, the Australia singer did not
comment on rumours that his wife Nicole Kidman will
also be on Oprah's Australian show. Tomorrow's episode
might just confirm if Nicole Kidman will indeed be
a guest on December 14 and 15 at the Sydney Opera
"Oprah" House.
Mad
Max Revamped Movie #4 Will Happen Says Aussiewood
Insiders; Fury Road?!...
Remember
the Aussie cult film classic that went on to mainstream...Max
Max. They got to #3, always with Aussie tough guy
Mel Gibson in the lead as 'Max Rockatansky' aka 'The
Road Warrior'. Filming will take place near Broken
Hill, New South Wales. Gibson will not be reprising
his old role in Mad Max 4: Fury Road which will star
British actor Tom Hardy alongside Charlize Theron.
In November 2006, George Miller had stated that he
still had full intentions to make Fury Road, telling
the press that he was considering doing the film without
Mel Gibson, saying, “There's a real hope. The
last thing I wanted to do is another Mad Max, but
this script came along, and I'm completely carried
away with it." The film's screenplay was co-written
with cult British comic creator Brendan McCarthy,
who also designed many of the new characters and vehicles.
Miller again confirmed his desire to make another
Mad Max at the 2007 Aurora film maker initiative.
However, he did say he thought Mel Gibson would not
be interested in the film because he is too old (not
too nuts!)
Billionaire
Branson To Launch Apple iPad Lifestyle Mag...
Aussie's
live Branson and Virgin, so you'll love this...Word
of Sir Dick's plans to publish "Project"
for delivery on iPads came shortly after media mogul
Rupert Murdoch hinted that his News Corp empire will
soon publish a digital newspaper for the hot Apple
gadgets. News Corp, owner of The Australian, has been
tight-lipped about the project but 79-year-old mogul
Murdoch acknowledged in an interview last week that
"The Daily" is in the works. Sir Richard
said in invitations to the press that "Project"
themes will include entertainment, travel, business,
design, and international culture. The event in New
York City on Wednesday did not indicate whether "Project"
would be provided as passenger reading on flights.
Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard owns about half
of Virgin Atlantic airline with its aircraft that
boast internet-age amenities such as power outlets
at seats and wireless connections to the web. He recently
said that his Virgin Galactic enterprise is on track
to offer commercial space travel within 18 months,
and that space hotels are next on the drawing board.
Yeah, we know, Branson has appeared in films such
as Casino Royale, Around The World in 80 days, and
a good spread of other movies and TV specials. If
your going to be a media tart, you might as well be
very good at it.
Lachlan
Murdoch Acquires Ten Network Stake, Joins Shareholder
Aussie James Packer...
Lachlan
Murdoch, son of News Corp. Chairman Rupert, has recently
acquired a little over half of James Packer’s
stake in Ten Network Holdings Ltd. Packer bought a
17.88% stake, or 172.2 million shares, in the media
group last month through Cavalane Holdings Ltd. Murdoch,
through Illyria Nominees Television Pty Ltd. has agreed
to buy 93.4 million shares for A$128.2 million, according
to a regulatory filing to the ASX (Australian Stock
Exchange). The two gents will act in concert in relation
to the exercise of their votes, the statement said.
Packer and Murdoch agreed to join the board of Australia’s
third-ranked television broadcaster last month. Gina
Rinehart, Australia’s richest woman, lifted her
stake in the company to 10%. Packer also owns 49%
of Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd. which in turn
has 25% of Foxtel, down under's largest pay television
operator.
Media
Man Showcases Movies; Reviews...
Want
more? Check out Media Man Movies here
and Media Man Movie Reviews here.
Try
not to get square eyes. We're told PartyGaming still
has the best movie blockbuster themed slot games on
the planet, but you be the judge, jury and executioner.
The Media Man has left the building.
Rocky
Rocky
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Rocky
Balboa slot game profile Sylvester
Stallone profile Boxing
Movies
Rocky
online slot game website Rocky
online slot game (direct download)
Noble
Casino website Noble
Poker website PartyGaming
profile
Circus
Slot Safari
Soccer Slot Slotbox
Rubik's
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Balboa Jenga
PartyCasino.com
website PartyCasino.com
profile PartyCasino.com
Slots
Profiles
Sylvester
Stallone Boxing
profile Fighting
Games profile
News
Rocky
Slot Game Hits PartyGaming - Noble
Casino
The
new Rocky slot game has become Playtech’s most
sought after title as online gaming fans flock to
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The
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Rocky Slots sets the pace for PartyGaming and Playtech,
with Pink Panther soon to follow.
Rocky
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Playtech
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The
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Perhaps
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During
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Rocky!
PartyGaming
also offer PartyCasino.com which offers dozens more
movie and TV themed slot games, as well as other online
casino games that can be played for free or played
for money.
PartyGaming
was established in 1997 and is listed on the London
Stock Exchange.
Media
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Hollywood
is a district in Los
Angeles, California, U.S.A.,
situated west-northwest of Downtown. Due to its fame
and cultural identity as the historical center of
movie studios and stars, the word "Hollywood"
is often used as a metonym for the American film and
television industry. Today much of the movie industry
has dispersed into surrounding areas such as Burbank
and the Westside, but significant ancillary industries
(such as editing, effects, props, post-production,
and lighting companies) remain in Hollywood.
Many
historic Hollywood theaters are used as venues and
concert stages to premiere major theatrical releases,
and host the Academy
Awards. It is a popular destination for nightlife
and tourism, and home to the Walk of Fame.
Although
it is not the typical practice of the City of Los
Angeles to establish specific boundaries for districts
or neighborhoods, Hollywood is a recent exception.
On February 16, 2005, Assembly Members Goldberg and
Koretz introduced a bill to require the State to keep
specific records on Hollywood as though it were independent.
For this to be done, the boundaries were defined.
This bill was unanimously supported by the Hollywood
Chamber of Commerce and the LA City Council. Assembly
Bill 588 was approved by the Governor on August 28,
2006, and now the district of Hollywood has official
borders. The border is shown at the right, and can
be loosely described as the area east of Beverly Hills
and West Hollywood, south of Mulholland Dr., Laurel
Canyon, Cahuenga Blvd. and Barham Blvd., and the cities
of Burbank and Glendale, north of Melrose Avenue,
and west of the Golden State Freeway and Hyperion
Avenue. Note that this includes all of Griffith Park
and Los Feliz—two areas that were hitherto generally
considered separate from Hollywood by most Angelinos.
The population of the district (including Los Feliz)
as of the 2000 census was 208,237.
As
a portion of the City of Los Angeles, Hollywood does
not have its own municipal government, but does have
an appointed official that serves as "honorary
mayor" for ceremonial purposes only. Currently,
the "mayor" is Johnny Grant. Since this
is a non-elected, honorary position, Grant has held
this position for decades. (Credit:
Wikipedia).
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