NBC Gives Full Season Pick Up To "Chuck" & "Chase"

NBC has given full-season pickups to the new high-octane drama "Chase" and the returning action-comedy "Chuck" for 2010-11. The announcement was made by Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios.

"'Chase' has introduced an appealing new star to television audiences in Kelli Giddish and we think it has potential to grow," said Bromstad. "We also are glad that 'Chuck' will be with us for a full season delivering its loyal, passionate audience."

"Chase" is averaging a 2.0 rating, 5 share in adults 18-49 and 6.5 million viewers overall in "most current" averages through its first five telecasts this fall. "Chase" has captured an 18 percent improvement in the time period versus year-ago "most current" results for NBC in 18-49 rating (with a 2.0 rating vs. a 1.7) and a 23 percent gain in total viewers (6.5 million vs. 5.3 million). "Chase" is heavily time-shifted, adding 21 percent to its "live plus same day" 18-49 rating when Nielsen issued "live plus seven day" results for the opening two weeks of the season (to a 2.66 rating from a 2.19).

Through October 18, "Chuck" has averaged a 2.2 rating, 6 share in adults 18-49 and 5.9 million viewers overall in "most current" averages from Nielsen Media Research. "Chuck" is heavily time-shifted, adding 29 percent to its "live plus same day" 18-49 rating when Nielsen issued "live plus seven day" results for the opening two weeks of the season (to a 2.56 rating from a 1.99)."

"Chase" (Mondays, 10-11 p.m. ET) -- from Emmy Award-winning executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer ("CSI" franchise, "The Amazing Race," "Pirates of the Caribbean") and executive producer Jennifer Johnson ("Cold Case," "Reunion," "Lost") -- is a lightning-fast drama that showcases an elite team of U.S. Marshals that hunts down America's most dangerous fugitives. Kelli Giddish ("Past Life") stars as U.S. Marshal Annie Frost, a deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down violent criminals on the run. Also starring are Cole Hauser ("K-Ville"), Amaury Nolasco ("Prison Break") and Rose Rollins ("The L Word"). Jesse Metcalfe ("Desperate Housewives") also stars.

"Chase" is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television and Warner Bros. Television. Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman ("CSI" franchise, "The Amazing Race," "Cold Case") and Johnson are as executive producers, while KristieAnne Reed is the co-executive producer.

"Chuck" (Mondays, 8-9 p.m. ET) stars Zachary Levi ("Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel") as Chuck Bartowksi, a regular guy who also happens to be the government's most vital secret agent. The cast also includes Adam Baldwin ("My Bodyguard") as Colonel John Casey and Yvonne Strahovski (the upcoming "The Killer Elite") as partner Sarah Walker. Also starring are: Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace"), Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?"), Ryan McPartlin ("Living with Fran"), Mark Christopher Lawrence ("The Pursuit of Happyness"), Vik Sahay ("Time Bomb"), Scott Krinsky ("The O.C.") and Bonita Friedericy ("The West Wing").

"Chuck" is co-created by Josh Schwartz ("The O.C.," "Gossip Girl") and Chris Fedak, and is executive-produced by Schwartz, McG ("Charlie's Angels," "Terminator Salvation"), Fedak, Robert Duncan McNeill, and Nicholas Wootton. "Chuck" is produced by Fake Empire, Wonderland Sound and Vision, in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Angelina Jolie's SALT debuts on Blu-ray/DVD December 21st!

“Sizzling hot! It’s an explosive, nail-biting ride that doesn’t slow down.”
- Pete Hammond, Boxoffice Magazine

“More charm than Bond and more strength than Bourne.” – David Basner, MTV/VH1 Radio Networks

The Worldwide Box-Office Smash
Starring Angelina Jolie
SALT
Deluxe Unrated Edition Blu-ray and DVD Debuts December 21
With 3 Different Versions of the Film

CULVER CITY, CALIF. (October 18, 2010) – Academy Award®winner Angelina Jolie (Best Supporting Actress, Girl, Interrupted, 1999) stars as a CIA agent on the run after a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy in the international box-office action-packed event SALT. The Deluxe Unrated Edition Blu-ray™and DVD, debuting on December 21 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, will include three versions of the film including the original theatrical film plus two additional unrated extended cuts not seen in theaters with two alternate endings. A Theatrical Edition DVD will also be available. Extensive bonus materials include filmmaker commentary and multiple featurettes that take viewers behind-the-scenes on the adrenaline-pumping thrill ride of the year. SALT will be available on Deluxe Unrated Edition Blu-ray™ for $34.95 SRP, DeluxeUnrated Edition DVD for $28.96 SRP and Theatrical Edition DVD for $28.96 SRP.

Synopsis:
As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: “Who is Salt?”

Directed by Phillip Noyce (Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games), SALT also stars Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (2012, Talk to Me) and was written by Kurt Wimmer. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Sunil Perkash produced, with Ric Kidney and Mark Vahradian serving as executive producers.

DVD and Blu-ray Bonus Features Include:
§ Filmmaker Commentary
§ “The Ultimate Female Action Hero”
§ “Spy Disguise: The Looks of Evelyn Salt”
§ Radio Interview with Director Phillip Noyce

Exclusive Blu-ray™ Bonus Features Include:
§ “SALT: Declassified – An undercover look at the secrets of making Salt”
§ “The Real Agents”
§ “The Modern Master of the Political Thriller: Phillip Noyce”
§ “False Identity: Creating A New Reality”
§ movieIQ
§ Spy Cam: Picture in Picture Track - Discover how the stunts and action were created. With pre-visualization sequences, storyboards, and behind-the-scenes interviews with filmmakers, cast and crew you can uncover the truth behind Salt!

SALT is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action. Runtimes are as follows:
Theatrical Version – approximately 100min
Unrated Director”s Cut - approximately 104min
Unrated Extended Cut - approximately 101min

Artwork and digital clips are available for download at www.sphepublicity.com. Visit Sony Home Entertainment on the Web at www.SonyPictures.com.

Magnet Releasing Captures THE TROLL HUNTER for the World

New York – October 18, 2010 - The Wagner/Cuban Company's Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures announced today that it has acquired World rights excluding Europe to writer/director André Ovredal’s THE TROLL HUNTER, produced by John M. Jacobsen and Sveinung Golimo. Shot in a vérité style, THE TROLL HUNTER is the story of a group of Norwegian film students that set out to capture real-life trolls on camera after learning their existence has been covered up for years by a government conspiracy. A thrilling and wildly entertaining film, THE TROLL HUNTER delivers truly fantastic images of giant trolls wreaking havoc on the countryside, with darkly funny adherence to the original Norwegian folklore.

“THE TROLL HUNTER is one hell of a ride, with trolls the size of King Kong,” said Magnet SVP Tom Quinn. “André Ovredal has created a one-of-a-kind creature feature that’s sure to entertain and wow audiences all over the world. We’re extremely proud to add it to the Magnet slate.”

"The interest in THE TROLL HUNTER from around the world has been overwhelming," says producer Jacobsen. "But it became clear to us early that Magnolia/Magnet would be a perfect fit both for us and for the film. We are really excited to be working with them on this movie."

The deal for world rights excluding Europe were negotiated by Magnet’s Quinn with producer John M. Jacobsen. Magnet will release the film theatrically in 2011.

First Full Scream 4 Trailer!

The full teaser trailer for Scream 4 is now online and can be watched using the player below! This version is longer than the one that was shown at the "SCREAM 2010" awards.

Directed by Wes Craven from a script by Kevin Williamson, the April 15 release stars Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox Arquette, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Marielle Jaffe, Rory Culkin, Nico Tortorella, Erik Knudsen, Marley Shelton, Anthony Anderson, Adam Brody, Alison Brie, Mary McDonnell, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell and Brittany Roberts.

The first Scream was great, I can't say much for the franchise after that other then it was at most entertaining. The fact that they decided to revisit the franchise 10 years later had me concerned, but the inclusion of Horror Icon Wes Craven coming back to the directors chair left me optimistic. Now we have the first official trailer, and I don't know that revisiting the franchise was actually that great an idea after all. It felt a lot more like a comedy slasher similar to Scary Movie as opposed to the next installment in the Scream franchise. I'm sure I'll check it out either way, but I don't feel mind fucked or blown away by anything I've seen yet.

Jackass 3.5 Hitting Theaters?

This past weekend Jackass 3D enjoyed enormous amounts of success breaking October box-office records with a $50 million opening weekend. The film stands by far as the most financially successful in the franchise to date, and now Paramount who distributed the film is looking at ways to capitalize of that success for as much as they potentially can. Jackass front man Johnny Knoxville already announced plans for a Jackass 3.5 release, which was set to hit DVD and Blu ray about a month after Jackass 3D's theatrical run, but now it seems as though Paramount would rather take the left-over footage from their most recent release and repackage it for a theatrical run of its own.

Nothing is set in stone just yet, but 24 Frames says Paramount is considering what to do with all of the material that didn’t make it into the film, and that a second theatrical release is high on their list of options.

Here’s what Knoxville had to say on the matter:

We shot two movies’ worth of footage. We have so many bits that we never even turned in to Paramount because we were so swamped with ideas — funny stuff. The bits were just coming out of us left and right.

Part of me would love to see the left-over footage released in theaters seeing as most of Jackass 3D's gags looked to be shot intentionally with 3D in mind, and releasing it to home video might not put the original intent behind the gags out there. But on the other hand the gags and stunts cut from the film were more than  likely cut for a reason and at best would serve better as an extra on the Jackass blu ray or just on its own as Jackass 3.5 like Knoxville had originally announced. The theatrical release in mind for 3.5 seems more like a cash grab from Paramount more than anything, fuckers.

Chuck Hogan Writing Irish Mob Film

Toldja! is reporting that Chuck Hogan who wrote the book "Prince of Thieves: A Novel" on which Ben Affleck's The Town was based, is currently the script for an untitled Boston crime drama centered around the Winter Hill Gang and its chief enforcer John Martorano.

The film will chronicle the reign of the notorious criminal gang run by James "Whitey" Bulger and the court case that exposed a corrupt relationship between the Irish Mob and the Boston office of the FBI. Martorano was the government's main witness and GK acquired his rights after he was released after serving 14 years for murder.

The plot sounds very close in resemblance to The Departed, which was also loosely based on Bulger, but there's a good possibility it'll find similar success much like the Town is benefiting from right now. I think more than likely it'll come down to who ends up in the directors chair. Maybe if we're lucky this is something Ben Affleck might be interested in.

New One-Sheet and Trailer for "The Fighter"

YahooMovies! has released brand new one-sheet for the upcoming drama The Fighter starring Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg. In addition to the One-Sheet being released there was a special sneak peak trailer in front of last nights Mad Men, which has also found its way online.

"The Fighter," is a drama set in Boston about boxer "Irish" Micky Ward's unlikely road to the world light welterweight title. His Rocky-like rise was shepherded by half-brother Dicky, a boxer-turned-trainer who rebounded in life after nearly being KO'd by drugs and crime.

I was already looking forward to this from the first trailer released a few weeks ago, but this new trailer and one-sheet has me completely sold on the film. I'll be surpised if Bale isn't at least nominated for an Oscar for his turn as Wahlberg's brother. This marks the second time Bale's transformed his body for a role in a film where he lost an insane amount of weight, then there's Wahlberg who always seems to be ripped no matter the role, regardless this looks all kinds of awesome!

Disney To Release 'The Avengers' and 'Iron Man 3'

 

The Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios announced they have reached an agreement under which Paramount will transfer its worldwide marketing and distribution rights to Disney for Marvel Studios' The Avengers and Iron Man 3. Paramount will remain the worldwide distributor of the upcoming films, Thor and Captain America, as well as the previously released Iron Man and Iron Man 2.

Under terms of the new deal, Disney will pay Paramount $115 million for the transfer of the distribution rights to Iron Man 3 and The Avengers to be paid on the theatrical release dates. These monies will serve as a minimum guarantee against the distribution fees.

"In completing this agreement, Disney will now assume worldwide marketing and distribution of The Avengers and Iron Man 3 and leverage these two highly-anticipated films across the multiple global platforms of The Walt Disney Company," said Rich Ross, Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. "We appreciate the tremendous momentum that Paramount established with these iconic Marvel characters and look forward to propelling the brand even further in the coming years."

"Five years ago, when Paramount and Marvel made our initial deal, both our businesses were in very different places," said Brad Grey, Chairman & CEO of Paramount Pictures. "We are grateful for the partnership we have had with the terrific Marvel team over these years and proud of the work we have done together. Today, this new agreement is the right deal for Paramount, for Marvel and for Disney. We look forward to working together on Thor and Captain America, and we wish Disney and Marvel the utmost success, in what we know will be a very productive and wide-ranging partnership."

"Paramount has been a wonderful partner in helping Marvel Studios bring our characters to the big screen," said Alan Fine, Office of the President, Marvel Worldwide, Inc. "This agreement makes sense now that Marvel is part of The Walt Disney Company."

Paramount will release Marvel Entertainment's Thor and Captain America worldwide beginning on May 6 and July 22 of 2011, respectively. The Avengers will be licensed to Epix under Paramount's existing pay television arrangement.

Disney is planning a May 3, 2013 release date for Iron Man 3.

Green Lantern @ Scream Awards, Power Battery, & Hot Blake Lively

A lot of "Green Lantern" news floating around this weekend. For a movie that could possibly make or break the possibility of seeing other DC characters besides Superman and Batman on the big screen, any buzz is good buzz.

Daily Blam was kind enough to release the first picture of the power battery, which makes Green Lanterning possible. See below:

Then "The Green Lantern" himself made an appearance at the Scream Awards as Ryan Reynolds accepted the award for "Most Anticipated Movie" from his co-star Blake Lively. Photos courtesy of Just Jared.

"Sherlock Holmes 2" Set Photos

It is kind of difficult to get me overly excited about a film these days, I think I've almost become immune to most flicks. It's not that I have been "de-geeked", I just look at movies a different way. Not the Sherlock Holmes franchise though. 100% pure geeked about the sequel.

Check out some photos from the set of the sequel below courtesy of Coming Soon via Splash News.