B'way's 'Rebecca' beckons McGillin

McGillin Vet Broadway thesp Howard McGillin is slated to participate the arrival Rialto tuner version of Daphne Du Maurier's "Rebecca," modified for your stage by composer Sylvester Levay and lyricist-playwright Michael Kunze and changed into British by "A Dangerous Method" scribe Christopher Hampton.McGillin's most impressive claim they can fame may be his years-long-term inside the Great White-colored Way's "Phantom in the Opera," in which the actor drenched greater than 2,300 perfs inside the title role, but more youthful crowd came out inside the Hal Prince-helmed output of Stephen Sondheim's "Bounce" (later reworked as "Road Show") within the Kennedy Center, together with a Broadway revival of "Anything Goes" together with the Rialto's "The Mystery of Edwin Drood." McGillin acquired Tony noms for in the latter.New tuner is positioned to bow April 22 within the Broadhurst Theater and may star Sierra Boggess, Tam Mutu, Karen Mason and James Barbour. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Focus World sets film slate

Focus World, the first digital distribution initiative possessed and operated by Focus Features, has set its slate for your first quarter of 2012. The completely new Focus World options include James Franco's "The Broken Tower," that is released digitally on Jan. 10 Gaukur Ulfarsson's documentary feature "Gnarr," set to bow on Feb. 7 and Liza Johnson's "Return," that is released Feb. 28. Furthermore, Focus World and Entertainment You'll release several game game titles -- all already available digitally -- on DVD with the first quarter of 2012: Alma Har'el's "Bombay Beach" on Jan. 17, Jon Foy's "Resurrect Dead" on Jan. 31 and Toniko Melo's "VIPs" on Feb. 14. Black-and-white-colored pic "The Broken Tower," which first demonstrated as of this year's La Film Festival, stars author-director Franco as "Lost Generation" poet Hart Crane. "Gnarr," which opened up as of this year's Tribeca Film Festival, tales comedian Jon Gnarr's campaign for mayor of Reykjavik. The campaign originated from just like a joke but increased to become political statement and accomplished an unforeseen momentum that taken Gnarr into office. Focus World will digitally distribute the documentary through the peak of next year's U.S. presidential primary season. "Return," which opened up incorporated within the Directors' Week within the 2011 Cannes Film Festival, can be a drama of a U.S. Military reservist (Linda Cardellini) who returns home carrying out a tour of duty and contains trouble readjusting to small-town existence. Michael Shannon and John Slattery co-star. Launched taken, Focus World states it identifies and curates most likely probably the most exciting voices in worldwide and independent cinema. Part of Focus Features' multiplatform strategy, Focus World presents game game titles "of genuine vision and originality" as premiere releases on EST, iVOD and VOD, along with DVD together with other formats. The Primary Focus World deals were closed by Avy Eschenasy, professional V . p . of a good planning, business matters and purchases, along with Kent Sanderson, manager of digital content. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

Jack The Giant Killer Trailer Is Here Now

Something giant is originating...The parade of re-invented magical stories making their method to the screen shows no manifestation of preventing and today Bryan Singer's undertake Jack And Also The Beanstalk, Jack The Giant Killer is stomping its way towards our movie theaters. And because of the gang at Warners, you are able to take a unique first consider the trailer below. Within this version from the story, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) continues to be a humble farm lad, and makes having individuals ever-potent miracle beans. Despite a Gremlins-style admonition never to allow them to get wet, that is what goes on and shortly an enormous beanstalk has sprouted up, taking Jack's home and Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) by using it. So Jack needs to take a pursuit to save her. Which may be a challenge enough, but you will find some giant problems hiding around.The thing is, the dominion Jack lives in has been around an uneasy peace using their giant neighbours, but this latest incident sparks off a conflict...In the looks of the first trailer, Jack can come packed with spectacle and drama, along with a fair smattering of comedy. Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Warwick Davis, Ian McShane, Bill Nighy, Ewan Bremner and Eddie Marsan will also be within the cast and also the film is on June 15.

SAG and Golden Globe Nominee Jonah Hill on His First Award Season, His Directing Future and 21 Jump Street

Aside from a few honors of the Teen Choice and MTV Movie variety, newly minted Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe nominee Jonah Hill is an awards virgin — which makes this year’s lead-up to the Oscars particularly exciting for the actor, who earlier this year impressed critics with his role in Moneyball as Brad Pitt’s Ivy League-educated, number-crunching Oakland A’s wingman. The role, like his 2010 titular turn in Cyrus, was a welcome departure from the wise-cracking characters audiences have grown accustomed to seeing him play, from the early days of Knocked Up and Superbad to last weekend’s The Sitter. Next up, Hill uses his sarcastic charm to crack down on a high school drug ring in the March 16 feature adaptation of 21 Jump Street, which Hill also wrote and produced. On the eve of his first SAG Award nomination, Hill phoned Movieline to discuss the anxieties of award season, how he plans to maintain the momentum of his dramatic evolution and and his favorite film scene of all time. Hi Jonah! How does it feel to be experiencing your first award season? It’s very bizarre. It’s very exciting. I never would have thought that I’d be up for an award or anything like that but then you do all of these interviews and [the reporters] make you think that might. You start thinking, ‘Maybe I will get [nominated] for something.’ And then if I don’t, I’m going to feel like I failed everyone. When you signed on to Moneyball, did you have any inkling that this role might be an opportunity for serious award buzz? No, I just thought this was going to be a great movie. With [director] Bennett Miller’s pedigree and Scott Rudin and Brad [Pitt] and Aaron Sorkin, I assumed that it was going to be a great movie. I never thought about winning an award. I mean, I’m doing an interview now about the possibility of being up for an award so it crosses my mind. I think the whole thing is just really exciting. I would be interested in being part of any award that would be interested in having me be a part of it. I don’t know. I’ve never won an award. After Cyrus, I heard you say in an interview that your friends and family were surprised to see you transform so completely onscreen. After Moneyball, have they accepted the fact that you’re a dramatic actor as well? I think the two roles that I’ve gotten the most acting acclaim for were Cyrus and Moneyball and I think those roles, for the people that know me, they don’t see a character that really reminds them of me. I take that as a compliment. I’ve always been a serious actor. I just happen to do more comedies. I trained to be an actor. A good actor isn’t just a dramatic actor or a comedic actor. An actor just does work, no matter what genre it’s in. How do you plan to continue your dramatic acting momentum in 2012? I would have loved to do Quentin [Tarantino]’s movie Django Unchained. I was honored that he wanted me to be a part of it and unfortunately it didn’t work schedule-wise. To me, it’s important now to find dramas as well as comedies to act in. Would you ever write a drama? Yeah, I’m actually thinking about writing a drama now. I don’t think it’s really worthy of noting now since I haven’t started it yet. You just made your directing debut with the Sara Bareilles music video “Gonna Get Over You.” Could you see yourself directing features anytime soon? Yeah, it went well and I think music videos are great practice for telling a short story visually. You got to wear multiple hats on 21 Jump Street as writer, producer and lead. Did you enjoy having that much responsibility on set?? Yeah. I love when all of the walls are burning down around me on set. It’s fun. I’m up for anything, as long as its creatively exciting to me. As the writer and producer, what kind of creative control did you have over the movie once it went into production? Did you have a lot of say in casting… Sony [who produced Moneyball via Columbia Pictures] and I have made a bunch of movies together. They really treat me with a lot of respect and I respect them. They’re the best bosses you could have. They really want to help me share my comedic voice and are just great partners. They were really supportive of my choice in Channing [Tatum]. They were great overall. Here at Movieline we play a game called My Favorite Scene where we ask actors to name one film scene that really affected them. Do you know what yours would be? I know that for sure. It’s the scene in Goodfellas where Joe Pesci has the whole, “Do you think I’m a clown? Do I amuse you?” rant. It just went from funny to dark to scary to funny again. The tonal shifts are just very dramatic in that scene from comedic to dark and scary and dramatic. That’s my favorite scene in any movie ever. Follow Julie Miller on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Exclusive Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows video interviews

[brightcove]1327285514001[/brightcove]Above you can watch an exclusive video featuring interviews with Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows stars Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry.Downey Jr is still having a whale of a time developing his bromance with Law, explaining their working chemistry: "He's just about my favourite... We take great joy in watching the monitors play back those scenes."Law also talks about how easy it was to slip back into character for this sequel: "We could hit the ground running because we knew each other and we had worked out this particular process of how we figure out scenes and banter."And the current Dr Watson claims that he's well up for a sequel, should the opportunity arise ("It's not like we're short of source material...").The video also features Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry, so get watching it now!Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows opens on Friday.Click the link to read our full Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows review.

Helmers set for 'Cloudy 2' toon

Marking their first major studio film, Sony Animation artists Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn are set to direct "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2," a studio spokesperson confirmed.Project, which is still in development and does not yet have a greenlight, follows the studio's 2009 toon "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Sony bet on fresh faces to helm that film, too: Lord and Miller had only directed cult MTV toon "Clone High" before helming the original "Cloudy," which went on to gross more than $230 million worldwide.Both Cameron and Pearn worked on the original "Cloudy." Pearn served as head of story while Cameron worked as a story artist. The latter also directed the studio's "Open Season 3," intended for home video release. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

Stephen King's Bag of Bones

Pierce Brosnan in "Stephen King's Bag of Bones" Shot in Nova Scotia through the new the new sony Pictures Television. Executive producers, Mark Sennet, Stewart Mackinnon, Mick Garris co-executive producers, John Gary, David Davoli producer, Michael Mahoney director, Garris author, Matt Venne, using the novel by Stephen King.Mike Noonan - Pierce Brosnan Mattie Devore - Melissa George Jo Noonan - Annabeth Gish Sara Tidwell - Anika Noni Rose Max Devore - William Schallert Rogette Whitmore - Deborah GroverWatching a novelist tasks are extremely difficult to produce visually interesting, and merely one of the challenges rattling around "Bag of Bones," the newest adaptation from the Stephen King novel as well as the seventh including director Mick Garris. Based on that collaboration -- including "The Stand" and "The Shining" miniseries -- this two-part ghost story starring Pierce Brosnan qualifies just like a muddled disappointment, building toward a virtually risibly convoluted ending. For individuals his success in guides, quality TV versions of King's work remain as elusive as definitive proof of the beyond. A effective novelist, Brosnan's Mike Noonan is in love with his wife Jo (Annabeth Gish) before she steps before a fast-moving bus. Devastated, he stays many of the following hour grief-stricken and fraying psychologically, much for the concern of his agent and brother (Jason Priestley and Matt Frewer, correspondingly, using what equal to throwaway cameos). Seeking consolation and perhaps the best way to begin their work again, Mike decamps for the lake house where Jo spent lots of time, in one of people idyllic King metropolitan areas that frequently hide large secrets. Lots of what evolves happens within mentioned residence as Jo's presence manifests itself. Coping with author Matt Venne, Garris tries to sustain the audience's interest through plenty of cheap jump-out-at-you moments and eerie dreams, but that's mostly rather than narrative momentum, a drawback that becomes progressively apparent with the second hour. Eventually, Mike meets a stylish lady, Mattie (Melissa George), who along with her youthful daughter continues to be bothered by her wizened father-in-law, Max Devore (William Schallert), for reasons that become apparent inside the frenetic second hour. This allows Mike to see the white-colored dark evening, when he isn't talking with his late wife via refrigerator magnets. Without giving a lot of away, the wider plot involves extended-ago occasions revealed to Mike in visions, even though juxtaposition between fantasy and the simple truth is handled awkwardly in the best. Despite the fact that it's nice to look for the 89-year-old Schallert sink his teeth into this bad-guy role, Brosnan occupies a great deal screen time (frequently in no time where he's alone in your home) nobody else inside the cast registers. For Just About Any&E, clearly, the King title alone probably safeguards an audience that will validate its investment. Yet as anyone who read after which it saw "Pet Sematary" can attest, its not all King's material translates, and "Bag of Bones" (a title according to what's mentioned to become Thomas Sturdy quote in regards to the schism between real people and imaginary figures) might come under that category. Whether it does or else, the web effect is drearily familiar -- another King production that begins with glimmers of promise and eventually ends up being bad for the "Bones."Camera, Craig Donlevy production designer, Guy Lalande editors, Andrew Cohen, Patrick McMahon music, Nicholas Pike casting, Lynn Kressel. 4 Several hours.With: Matt Frewer, Jason Priestley. Contact John Lowry at john.lowry@variety.com

Exclusive 'American Reunion' Poster Gets Some (Pie)

The brand new poster for the fourth official "American Pie" movie, "American Reunion," definitely looks familiar, but there's something different going on. First of all, there's certainly not enough pie to go around to feed all the returning, randy cast members. All of the series' original stars, including Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Mena Suvari, Seann William Scott and Chris Klein, are all here, but I don't think that's it. Maybe, it's because the new poster for "American Reunion" is an exact copy of the first film's iconic poster. Talk about a nostalgia attack. Everyone is in their old positions from the poster from way back in 1999, except this time Jason Biggs decided to put some clothes on. Be sure to check out the posters side-by-side. There's definitely a stark difference. It has been 13 years since the original "Pie," and, my, how time has passed! Michelle's infamous flute is nowhere to be seen and has been replaced by a baby bottle. That's probably because in the new movie she and Jim have settled down from their former lives of sensual baking and kinky band camp participation and are now proud parents. When East Great Falls High's reunion rolls around, it'll be time for all our favorite characters to get back together and remember what it was like to be a crazy high school kid again. We've already seen two trailers from the upcoming movie, and it's clear that it isn't that hard for them to slip back into their old patterns. "American Reunion" opens in theaters on April 6, 2012. What do you think of the new poster for "American Reunion"? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

Consider Uggie, Day 7: Is Artist Wonder Dog 'Facing Retirement'?

Even if no awards body deigns to recognize the year’s finest screen work by a dog (or anyone else, for that matter), we can all take some comfort in knowing that Movieline’s Consider Uggie campaign has attained an apex of some kind: The Artist’s wonder-dog sidekick has been featured in that celebrated repository of prestige, glamor and influence otherwise known as Page Six. But that’s the good news; another, more troubling report on Uggie suggests that this campaign may be his last shot at golden glory. I mean, maybe Ramin Setoodeh went a little too deep on Uggie for The Daily Beast, because cue the heartbreak: Despite all the critical acclaim, Uggie is facing retirement. At 9, he doesn’t have any other gigs lined up, and he spends most of his days lounging by the pool or playing with [trainer Omar von] Muller’s 6-year-old daughter. “His health is good, but he has a bit of a shaking syndrome that white dogs get, *”Muller says. “People will think he’s nervous or cold, but it’s a neurological thing.” […] [Artist co-star James] Cromwell for one thinks the Academy should revise its rules to recognize non-human performers. “I wish there was an award, whether it was an Oscar or not, that demonstrated the contributions that animals make in the telling of a story,” he says. “In the Q&A’s we have, everyone says, ‘Where did you get that extraordinary dog?’” As mentioned previously, Uggie is due. Pay attention, Academy, before you miss your chance! Don’t let an oversight like this haunt you Raging Bull-style for decades to come. Elsewhere, meanwhile, the NY Post doubled up on its Uggie coverage over the weekend, with both a full feature on the #ConsiderUggie movement and a kind of mindblowing inclusion Saturday in Page Six. He had to share the space with Beginners co-star Cosmo — the year’s other acclaimed Jack Russell terrier — but still! No one can deny this milestone, which only portends more to come: If the Oscars had a canine category, it would be dog-eat-dog this year between Jack Russell terriers Cosmo and Uggie. The dogs play key roles in Beginners and The Artist, movies that have won best-picture prizes in the awards derbies leading to the Academy Awards. […] Uggie’s just taped an interview with Ryan Seacrest and is getting ink in W, Time and Newsweek. There’s even a “Consider Uggie” Facebook page. Behind the scenes, Cosmo has the advantage for avoiding paparazzi: His hair-and-makeup team on Beginners gave the all-white pooch tan spots with vegetable-based coloring. If the Oscars don’t add a category, perhaps they can at least hope for the MTV Movie Awards. Team Uggie will take it! But for now, keep the awards-season dream alive on Twitter and Facebook. And I guess I should start some kind of PayPal page for his retirement present. Developing… Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Chris Hemsworth and College Hotties Get the Horror Treatment in The Cabin in the Woods Trailer

If a creepy, tobacco-spitting, rural gas station attendant tells you, “I can get you there… it’s getting back that’s your concern,” as you navigate your way to a weekend house so “off-the-grid” that it doesn’t show up on the most advanced GPS system, you might turn around and floor your RV until you’re safely ensconced in suburban civilization again. But the upcoming Joss Whedon-produced horror flick Cabin in the Woods is not about you and your sensible friends — it’s about a bunch of college hotties (Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Anna Hutchison) who are willing to ignore a football field’s (or whatever unit of measure popular 20-somethings use) worth of red flags if it means they can have a kickass cabin weekend. Of course, since this is a horror film, these crazy carefree kids get more scares in the form of bear traps and death elevators than they bargained for. Since this is a horror film from Joss Whedon though, Cabin in the Woods is not just a 90-minute cliche-fest but a feature that attempts to turn the genre on its severed ear with a subplot involving Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford as “white-collar co-workers with a mysterious connection to the the cabin.” Cabin was the first collaboration between Thor star Chris Hemsworth and Avengers director Joss Whedon, who co-wrote and produced this horror pic, originally slated for a 2010 release. Here, Hemsworth plays a varsity jacket-wearing jock who carries a football, a beer mug or a look of confusion at all times. After filming, Whedon cast Hemsworth for the title role in his Marvel blockbuster Thor, which was released last May. Finally, The Cabin in the Woods — directed by Drew Goddard (who penned Cloverfield) — arrives in theaters April 13. [via Yahoo!]

Game-Maker Zynga Uncovers IPO Plans As Traders Grow Cautious About Tech

The producer of popular Facebook games including FarmVille and Frontierville states today within an SEC filing it hopes to finish track of nearly $890M froma public offering of 100M shares in an expected cost around $9.25 a share. The stock will trade at NASDAQ underneath the symbol ZNGA. The money is going to be employed for “general corporate reasons”which could include purchases. The organization states additionally, it intends to lead a a few of the internet proceeds to charitable causes through its philanthropic initiative, Zynga.org. Today’s announcement follows its disclosure earlier this summer time it planned to visit public — appropriating on Wall Street’s infatuation with tech companies. Traders have grown to be a bit more skeptical concerning the category, though: For instance, The planet pandora Media is lower about 40% because it went public in June. LinkedIn is lower 28% since May. And Groupon lost 27% of their market price after it hit the industry early recently.Zyngainvestors will also don't have any energy over the organization. The Course A shares the public will buy have one election per share. But associates including founder and Boss Mark Pincus control the course B and sophistication C stock that take into account 98.2% of allthe voting shares. Zynga has partners to DreamWorks Animation Jeffrey Katzenberg is part of its board. The studio also was an earlier ad sponsor. For instance, gamers building metropolitan areas in the overall game CityVille could add drive-in cinemas that performed Kung Fu Panda 2. Zynga states it’s “the mobile phone industry's leading social game maker” with 227Maverage monthly active customers in 175 nations. Within the nine several weeks ending in September it were built with a internet profit of $30.7M, lower 35.5% in the same period this past year, on revenues of $828.9M, up 106.3%.

Vital Switches into Smoke & Bone Daughter

Laini Taylor novel to begin franchiseWith just one more Twilight film to visit, everyone's looking for the following large paranormal romance to lure the tweens and also the moms and also the grandmother into pan-generational emo family cinema excursions. At Vital, the surface of the wish-list looks to become Daughter Of Smoke And Bone, Laini Taylor's twisted kids' novel of angels and devils and forbidden love in Prague, that the studio is settling to get for any reported six-figure sum.It, released in September and intended because the first inside a series, involves 17-year-old art student Karou, that has tats and knows kung-fu, and it has truly blue hair (i. e. she does not dye it: it develops blue from her mind). Her background is really a mystery, and she or he continues to be adopted and elevated by devils - "Chimaera" - who from time to time require her to take errands through sites and collect teeth.Teeth.On one of these simple missions she encounters the angel Akiva, who's been assigned with placing a pause and the illegal supernatural denture trade, but does not kill Karou because she reminds him of his lost love. As well as their burgeoning affair coincides using the appearance throughout Prague of the black-hands symbol, heralding a war between your cosmic forces of excellent and evil.The book's first line is "Not so long ago, an angel along with a demon fell for each other. It didn't finish well." It does not quite come out like Preacher though.Large-canvas stuff then, but grounded inside a medieval romance. And that is just what spurred Paramount's interest. Deadline are convinced that the studio was prepared to fight for that property, because of its "possibility of large-scale, visual effects-driven fantasy that may interact with a youthful audience", as well as its potential expansion to franchise size.It does not seem as though the offer is very done, but it is firmly up for grabs. We'll help you stay published. The novel is presently obtainable in the United kingdom in hardcover from Hodder and Stoughton.