ITV

Category: International

  • Craig Zadan, Neil Meron return to produce the Oscars

    Craig Zadan, Neil Meron return to produce the Oscars

    MUMBAI: The motion picture, television and theater producing team of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron will return to produce the Oscars for a second time next year.

    Academy president Hawk Koch made the announcement. The Academy Awards will air live on ABC in the US on 2 March, 2014.

    Koch said, "Craig and Neil have the overwhelming support of the Academy’s Governors to produce the Oscars again in 2014. In order to establish continuity with this year‘s enormously successful show, we felt it was important to give these consummate professionals the green light now to begin creating another great evening."

    Zadan and Meron said, "We are very honored to have been asked to return as Oscar producers for a second year. We look forward to creating a distinctive and entertaining show."
    Academy CEO Dawn Hudson said, “Craig and Neil have great relationships, a sense of showmanship, and a passion for our Academy. And they’re a pleasure to work with. All perfect qualities for our show."

    The February 2013 Oscars hosted by Seth MacFarlane, drew an average audience of 40.3 million total viewers and delivered a 13.0 rating among adults 18-49. The show was TV’s most-watched entertainment telecast in the last three years on ABC. Overall, it was the Oscars second-most-watched telecast since 2005.

    Among the innovations that Zadan and Meron plan to bring back to the 2014 show is the Oscar Experience College Search, which allows young filmmakers to assist with bringing the Oscar statuettes on-and-off stage during the show.

    The Zadan/Meron Oscars displayed a signature style that incorporated a single concept for the entire evening which linked together the disparate elements of the Oscar show through music, especially classic movie themes and the frequent appearances by MacFarlane to announce the evening’s presenters. The 2013 show was also distinguished by the use of motion picture talent as performers in the show such as the dance numbers performed by Charlize Theron, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

  • Lucian Grainge, Jason Kilar elected to DreamWorks Animation board of directors

    Lucian Grainge, Jason Kilar elected to DreamWorks Animation board of directors

    MUMBAI: DreamWorks Animation announced that at its upcoming annual meeting of stockholders, scheduled to be held on 29 May, 2013, current directors Nathan Myhrvold and Richard Sherman will retire from the company‘s board of directors.
     
    Universal Music Group chairman CEO Lucian Grainge and Hulu former CEO Jason Kilar will be nominated for election as new directors.
     
    Myhrvold is Intellectual Ventures CEO and has served on the DreamWorks Animation board of directors since the company went public in October of 2004. Sherman is The David Geffen Company CEO and has served as a DreamWorks Animation board member since November 2008.

    Dreamworks Animation founder and CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said, "Nathan has served on our board for nearly ten years during which time his unique perspective and wise counsel has been invaluable – he will truly be missed. Likewise, Richard has played a pivotal role in maximizing the potential of our business and I am incredibly grateful for his contributions over the years.
     
    "Looking ahead, I am beyond excited at the prospect of welcoming Lucian and Jason to our Board. They are true superstars in their respective fields – Jason revolutionized how we consume content and Lucian is one of the most innovative forces in the music industry. The addition of their expertise to our already incredibly strong board will help take the company to new heights as we continue to grow our brand."

  • Tom Cruise signs for yet another sci-fi project

    Tom Cruise signs for yet another sci-fi project

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros has signed Tom Cruise to feature in an yet untitled sci-fi project inspired from a series of Japanese novels written by Chohel Kamayashi. The move continues Cruise‘s sci-fi streak.

    The popular novels were earlier adapted into five direct-to-video anime movies, two of which won animation awards.
     
    The premise sees a planetary defense force beat back an invasion of aliens using a wormhole over Antarctica, setting up bases on the aliens‘ planet. Yukikaze is the name of the advanced reconnaissance fighter plane the hero uses on his missions.

    The actor‘s latest film Oblivion released only last week. The sleek post-apocalyptic film was released by Universal Studios. Cruise also has All You Need Is Kill, an alien war movie that is set for a 4 March release, next year.

  • Imax and Paramount Pictures to extend their biz ties from next year

    Imax and Paramount Pictures to extend their biz ties from next year

    MUMBAI: With the release of Michael Bay‘s Transformers 4 in June 2014 and a co-production of Christopher Nolan‘s Interstellar in November of the same year, Imax and Paramount Pictures will extend their business ties to release five of the Hollywood studio‘s upcoming films.

    The extended deal follows Imax successfully releasing Nolan‘s The Dark Knight. In that film and Bay‘s upcoming Transformers 4, Imax‘s proprietary cameras will be pressed into service to fill the large-format exhibitor‘s screens.
     
    "Imax is among the greatest ways to experience a movie," Rob Moore, vice chairman of Paramount Pictures has said in a statement. "Working with today‘s top filmmakers, we look forward to bringing audiences the most exciting new movies with the very best presentation for years to come," he added.

    Three other films from Paramount Pictures that are still to be announced will be part of the agreement.

  • Ashley Judd joining Shailene Woodley in Divergent

    Ashley Judd joining Shailene Woodley in Divergent

    MUMBAI: Ashley Judd has been added to the cast of Divergent, the big-screen adaptation of Veronica Roth‘s dystopian YA bestseller.

    Judd, who recently walked back on her bid for one of Kentucky‘s U.S. Senate seats, will play Natalie Prior, the mother of Divergent‘s heroine Tris (Shailene Woodley).
     
    The film, that has gone on the sets in Chicago last week, has Aaron Eckhart reportedly playing Judd‘s onscreen husband Andrew while Ansel Elgort (who made his big-screen debut in Carrie)will play her son Caleb.

    The film is being helmed by Neil Burger who had earlier directed Limitless and The Illusionist, with a script written by Vanessa Taylor.

    Divergent is scheduled to open on 21 March, next year.

  • Bradford International film festival honours Tom Courtenay

    Bradford International film festival honours Tom Courtenay

    MUMBAI: The Bradford International Film Festival (BIFF) has honoured veteran Tom Courtenay with a lifetime achievement award. The 76-year-old star who is known most for his role in The Dresser accepted the award at the National Media Museum in Bradford. The special acknowledgement marked the 50th anniversary of his classic film Billy Liar.
     
    “Bradford is a city that has played a significant part in my film career. I shot ‘Billy Liar‘ here 50 years ago, and then 20 years later returned to make The Dresser at The Alhambra Theatre,” Courtenay said while accepting the award.
     
    Earlier recipients of the BIFF Lifetime Achievement Award include John Hurt, Ken Loach and Richard Attenborough.

  • Jennifer Lopez may tie up with Chris Brown!

    Jennifer Lopez may tie up with Chris Brown!

    MUMBAI: Pop diva Jennifer Lopez has made many an eyebrow raise when she sparked rumours of a collaboration with R&B star Chris Brown after tweeting a photo together with him at the studio.
     
    The On the Floor hit maker shared a snap of herself back in the studio working on her tenth album posing with producer Cory Rooney and Brown, 23 according to reports in the media.
     
    The photograph where Lopez leaned on the shoulder of the controversial Brown captioning the photo had hashtags – "studiolife," "makinghistory," "Album10," and "SAMEGIRL."
     
    A day prior to the same, Lopez was spotted leaving an Anaheim recording studio in sweats, sans makeup, surrounded by her staff and several pals.
     
    A source said that there was "a lot of bass" emanating from the studios.
     
    Fans of Lopez responded to her post with excitement on Twitter.
     
    Said one, "We‘re all dying to hear the result of all the hard work you‘re putting into Album10. We‘re ready to blow up the charts with you!

  • New Transformers to have an old styled villain

    New Transformers to have an old styled villain

    MUMBAI: An "ancient and powerful" new villain who will terrorise the human race will feature in Michael Bay‘s upcoming Transfomers 4 that would star Mark Wahlberg.
     
    The first plot details for the upcoming Bay directed blockbuster have emerged, revealing that the film, which will feature an all-new cast led by Wahlberg, will center on the theme of "freedom and enslavement", it has been reported.
     
    "As humanity picks up the pieces following the conclusion of ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon‘, Autobots and Decepticons have all but vanished from the face of the planet. However, a group of powerful, ingenious businessman and scientists attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control. The epic adventure and battle between good and evil, freedom and enslavement ensues," said the Michigan Film Council, which has confirmed a $20 million tax incentive for the film‘s shoot in the state, in a statement.
     
    Both Transformers and Transformers: Dark of the Moon were shot in Michigan.

  • McAdams to join Cameron Crowe’s next

    McAdams to join Cameron Crowe’s next

    MUMBAI: Sherlock Holmes female lead Rachel McAdams is reportedly in talks to join the cast of the latest Cameron Crowe film, which already stars Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone.
     
    McAdams would play Cooper‘s ex-girlfriend in the romantic comedy. Media reports indicate that the film is about a defence contractor (Cooper) overseeing a weapons satellite launch from Hawaii who teams up with (and falls for) an Air Force pilot (Stone) to scuttle the launch. It also allegedly involves mystical island forces and a talking computer.
     
    McAdams has previously starred in acclaimed and commercially successfully movies like The Notebook, Midnight in Paris, Mean Girls and The Vow.

  • Michael Lynton renews contract with Sony Entertainment

    Michael Lynton renews contract with Sony Entertainment

    MUMBAI: Michael Lynton, Chief Executive Officer of Sony Entertainment, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Pictures Entertainment, has renewed his contract, it was announced today by Kazuo Hirai, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Corporation.
     
    Lynton joined Sony Pictures Entertainment in January 2004 and, with Co-Chairman Amy Pascal, they put the studio on a path of stability and success across its lines of business. Lynton was appointed to the additional role of CEO, Sony Entertainment, in 2012, overseeing Sony‘s global entertainment businesses, including Sony Music Entertainment, Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Sony Pictures.
     
    This past year, Sony Pictures enjoyed its best performance ever at the worldwide box office, ranking #1 in North American theatrical market share among all Hollywood studios due to the strong performance of hits like Skyfall, The Amazing Spider-Man, Men in Black 3 and Hotel Transylvania.
     
    The company‘s growing Sony Pictures Television unit now encompasses global production and distribution of top-rated programming across all genres, one of the largest libraries of content and formats, as well as a global portfolio of television networks, channel investments, a premium digital video network and multi-platform ad sales.
     
    At Sony Music, led by Chief Executive Officer Doug Morris, increases in digital revenue and chart-topping performers like One Direction, Adele, Alicia Keys and Pink have driven growth. This past year, under the leadership of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Martin Bandier, Sony/ATV took over the administration of EMI Publishing, making it the world‘s foremost music publishing business.
     
    "Michael‘s steady leadership and strong vision for the digital future will help keep Sony‘s entertainment businesses stable and reliable contributors to Sony‘s growth," said Kazuo Hirai.
     
    "I look forward to working closely with Michael in ensuring that music and pictures remain integral parts of our global strategy. We‘re thrilled he will continue at the helm for years to come."
     
    During Lynton‘s tenure, Sony Pictures has rapidly expanded its global presence and digital footprint. Worldwide box office revenue for Sony Pictures‘ films surpassed the four billion dollar mark in 2012 for the first time.
     
    Sony Pictures Television now has 18 production companies in 15 countries around the world covering multiple regions and boasts international television networks with 124 channel feeds in 159 countries reaching over 800 million homes worldwide.
     
    In addition, the studio has become a leader in digital entertainment pioneering business models like the ad-supported Crackle digital video network, early Electronic Sell-Through (EST) and cloud-based content ownership through UltraViolet.
     
    Lynton commented, "I am grateful to work with some of the finest minds in the entertainment business, starting with my partner at Sony Pictures, Amy Pascal, as well as Doug Morris at Sony Music and Marty Bandier at Sony/ATV. They are the best in their fields, and together we will strive to bring the very best films, music and television shows to our growing, global audiences."
     
    Lynton continued, "We will continue to collaborate closely with Kaz Hirai to create innovative, world-class entertainment and technology experiences, as only Sony can."
     
    Born and raised in Europe, Lynton attended Harvard College and Harvard Business School. He has previously worked on Wall Street and for The Walt Disney Company, Hollywood Pictures (serving as President), Pearson plc‘s Penguin Group (Chairman and CEO), AOL Europe (CEO), AOL International (President) and Time Warner International (President).