Jason Lee "Raising Hope" Through Rock & Roll

Golden Globe nominee Jason Lee, who was the lead character on HOPE creator Greg Garcia’s “My Name is Earl,” has signed on to guest-star in the upcoming “Burt Rocks” episode of RAISING HOPE. Lee will play SMOKEY DANIELS, a washed-up rock star who is hired as the lead act at “Grocery-Palooza,” a rock concert at the supermarket where SABRINA (Shannon Woodward) works. Smokey was once BURT’s (Garret Dillahunt) musical idol, and Burt hopes to relive his rock-star years by playing backup for him at the concert.

In the one-hour “Happy Halloween/Family Secrets” episode of RAISING HOPE, airing Tuesday, Oct. 26 (9:01-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, SABRINA’s (Shannon Woodward) boyfriend can’t make it to the deli guy’s Halloween party, so JIMMY (Lucas Neff) offers to put on his costume and go in his place. VIRGINIA (Martha Plimpton) takes MAW MAW (Cloris Leachman), who is dressed as a cat, trick-or-treating while BURT (Garret Dillahunt) plots ways to play tricks on Jimmy. Meanwhile, when a box containing videos of Hope’s mother arrives from prison, Jimmy must decide whether or not to let HOPE see them. Virginia explains that children need to be protected from the truth, leading Jimmy to question what exactly his parents have been keeping from him.

With a flourishing career that includes an Independent Spirit Award for his performance in writer-director Kevin Smith’s “Chasing Amy” and memorable roles in multiple features for such directors as Smith, Cameron Crowe and Lawrence Kasdan, Jason Lee has solidly established himself among critics, directors and peers. Lee starred in and produced the half-hour comedy series “My Name is Earl,” and received two Golden Globe nominations and two SAG Award nominations for his role. Lee also plays “Dave” in the “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movies. Currently, he is in production on “Memphis Beat,” and is co-writing a pilot for Adult Swim. Lee is a professional photographer, as well as an avid supporter and collector of the arts. He is also actively involved with his skateboard company, Stereo Sound Agency, which recently celebrated its 15-year anniversary.

As previously announced, FOX has ordered an additional nine episodes of RAISING HOPE, bringing the series to a full-season order.

Created by Emmy Award winner Greg Garcia, RAISING HOPE follows the Chance family as they find themselves adding an unexpected new member into their household. The series stars Lucas Neff, Martha Plimpton, Garret Dillahunt and Shannon Woodward. Cloris Leachman guest-stars as Maw Maw.

RAISING HOPE is produced by Amigos de Garcia Productions in association with 20^th Century Fox Television. Garcia serves as executive producer on the series.

Weinstein Company Names Donna Gigliotti President Of Production

Having established a relationship for more than seventeen years, The Weinstein Company (TWC) has hired Oscar-winning producer and former Miramax Films Executive Vice President Donna Gigliotti as president of production. She will work directly with TWC Co-Chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein, as well as produce several films for the company. Gigliotti’s first production will be I Don’t Know How She Does It, starring Sarah Jessica Parker, which will begin principal photography January 17. She is currently overseeing My Week With Marilyn, starring Michelle Williams shooting in the UK, and will produce David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook in the latter half of 2011.Gigliotti is one of only five women ever to win a Best Picture Oscar. In her first outing as an independent producer, she received the 1998 Academy Award for producing the seven-time Oscar-winning Miramax film Shakespeare in Love, and was subsequently nominated for a Best Picture Oscar for The Weinstein Company’s 2008 romantic drama The Reader.

At the beginning of the 2000s, Gigliotti was president of production for USA Films which, during her tenure, produced such films as Steven Soderberg’s Academy Award-winning Traffic, Robert Altman’s Gosford, Neil La Bute’s Possession and Joel and Ethan Coen’s The Man Who Wasn’t There. She recently produced Let Me In, the English-language remake of the acclaimed Swedish film Let the Right One In.

Beginning her career as assistant to Martin Scorsese on Raging Bull, Gigliotti became director of acquisitions for United Artists’ UA Classics and co-founded Orion Classics, building it into the preeminent distributor of specialized films by such directors as Louis Malle (Au Revoir Les Enfants), Pedro Almodovar (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown), Steven Frears (My Beautiful Laudrette), Akira Kurasawa (Ran) and Gabriel Axel (Oscar winner Babette’s Feast). From 1993-96 she served as executive vice president of Miramax Films, where she oversaw and executive produced such projects as Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Restoration starring Robert Downey Jr., and Franco Zefferelli’s Jane Eyre.

“Donna’s a great producer who filmmakers love,” says Harvey Weinstein. “She has impeccable taste but she’s tough-minded and practical, too. I’m looking forward to sharing with her at The Weinstein Company the same kind of success we celebrated together at Miramax.”

3D Television Channel Announces Line Up

Sony Corp and Discovery Communications along with Imax Corporation have announced their 3D television lineup. I have to say, I am now never leaving my house.

Original Series

Abandoned Planet: Explore the strangest places on earth – entire cities now completely devoid of all humanity.  This series of one-hour programs sheds light on why people have abandoned the places they once called home and what happens after they leave.  Produced by Flight 33 Productions.

Africa in 3D: From Gannet Island and its 100,000 seabirds of the same name sharing one giant rock, the 60,000 flamingos at Kamfers Dam, the Luangwa River and its 30,000 hippos and much more, this series of one-hour programs captures the richness and diversity of the world’s second-largest continent.  Produced by Aquavision Television Productions.

China: China’s beauty is little seen, often hidden and always surprising.  This hour-long series studies the thronging cities, epic vistas and spiritual heartlands of this huge and mysterious nation in stunning 3D.  Produced by Natural History New Zealand Ltd. (NHNZ).

Jewels of the World: This hour-long series gives viewers unprecedented access to UNESCO’s ‘World Heritage’ sites, where the planet’s natural and cultural gems are catalogued and protected, including:  the historic sanctuary of Machu Picchu, Peru; the Temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia; and the Grand Canyon National Park in the United States, among others.  Produced by Natural History New Zealand Ltd. (NHNZ).

Exclusive U.S. Premieres

Attack of the Giant Jellyfish (Discovery): This hour-long program explores the myths and realities behind the global explosion of deadly jellyfish, including the giant Nomura, whose strength and size makes them capable of capsizing boats and wreaking havoc on the high seas.  Produced by Story House Productions.

The Haunted (Discovery): Using infrared cameras and sensitive recording devices, a paranormal team investigates true, chilling and terrifying stories of animals and their owners who are experiencing the unexplainable.  This one-hour program is produced by Picture Shack Entertainment.

Into the Deep 3D (IMAX): This IMAX special takes audiences on a spectacular three-dimensional exploration of the undersea world. Using the IMAX 3D camera in its underwater housing for the first time, this film captures unique marine life and magnificent underwater vistas.

Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D (IMAX) Through the magic of IMAX 3D, narrator Tom Hanks takes viewers to the lunar surface to walk alongside the 12 extraordinary astronauts who have been there to experience what they saw, heard, felt, thought and did.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (Sony): Inspired by the beloved children’s book of the same name, this animated 3D feature follows inventor Flint Lockwood and a brainy weathergirl as they attempt to discover why the rain in their small town has stopped, and food is falling in its place.

Monster House (Sony): A suburban home has become physically animated by a vengeful human soul looking to stir up trouble from beyond the grave, and it's up to three adventurous kids from the neighborhood to do battle with the structural golem in this comically frightful tale.

Heather Graham Out of Hangover 2 & a Surprise Cameo Revealed?

Well, it appears not everyone will be returning for The Hangover 2.

E! Online reports Heather Graham won't be back as Ed Helms' stripper/escort girlfriend for the 2011 sequel. Warner Brothers confirmed the tidbit with this official excuse/statement:

"Unfortunately Heather won't be in the sequel—they way the story unfolds doesn't allow any room for her character to show up. I don't want to reveal to much of the film, but once you see it you'll understand."

I mean Graham was perfectly fine. But it's odd considering just about everyone else is showing back up. Speaking of which, Sasha Barrese (who played Justin Bartha's wife/Zach Galifianakis' sister, and yes will also be in the sequel) blabbed that there will be an "unbelievable" surprise cameo and that "It's a guy."

Just who is this "guy?" Perhaps an A-list movie-star/Oscar-winning director turned publicly-hated bigot still in desperate need of good PR? The New York Post (via What's Playing) says Mel Gibson will cameo as a tattoo artist.

Isn't it a tad "too little, too late" for Gibson to get back in people's good graces? More important question, will this top Gibson’s cameo from the comedy classic Father's Day?

Paul Teaser Trailer

I've heard about Paul on and off. Just going off the plot synopsis, I wasn't impressed – even despite the great talent involved. Two nerds (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) on the road in between comic-conventions encounter an alien (voiced by Seth Rogen) and get into adventures – with a high probability nerd culture references get spiced in here and there.

Honestly that reeked of fan-wanking especially considering some of the people in the cast – some known, others intended to be a surprise. Nevertheless, MSN has released the teaser trailer for the Greg Mottola-directed sci-fi comedy, and damn it was I charmed by it. Even though, we're only talking about a minute or so worth of footage. It looks like a lot of fun.

Curious to see how many fans will think Edgar Wright helmed this given the headlining Pegg and Frost.

"Mars Need Moms" Poster

Milo's quest to save his mom—a wild adventure that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and a rebel Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom—in more ways than one.

New "The Green Hornet" Poster

In the film, Britt Reid (Seth Rogen), son and heir to Los Angeles' largest newspaper fortune, is a rich, spoiled playboy who has been happy to maintain a direction-less existence. When his father James Reid (Tom Wilkinson) mysteriously dies, Britt meets an impressive and resourceful company employee, Kato (Jay Chou). They realize that they have the resources to do something worthwhile with their lives and finally step out of James Reid's shadow. Kato builds the ultimate weapon, The Black Beauty, an indestructible car with every weapon and gadget imaginable and Britt decides that in order to be heroes, they will pose as villains. With the help of Britt's new secretary, Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz), they learn that the chief criminal in the city is named Benjamin Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz). He has united all the gangs under his power, and he quickly sees that the Green Hornet is a direct threat to the prosperous criminal underworld he controls.

First look at Jeremy Renner in 'Mission: Impossible'

OK, so the pic ain't much.  Just Renner and Cruise jumping into freezing cold water (maybe escaping?), but at least it's something other than a shirtless Tom Cruise or Josh "I don't know what all the hype is about, this guy will never be a movie star" Holloway standing around.  Looking forward to this one though.  Say what you want about Tom Cruise, but the guy is every bit the definition of a "movie star."  I just hope audiences will one day remember that again.  Click the link for more pics from the set.

Mission: Impossible IV is set to be released next December 16th, 2011 (though is probably won't be called that).

Leaked 'Scream 4' Teaser Trailer

The cast of Scream 4 (well everyone except Courtney Cox, wonder why...) were on hand at this weekend's Scream Awards to unveil the teaser trailer for the flick to be released on April 15th, 2011.  Even though the awards show airs Tuesday on Spike TV, some smart SOB was able to get a bootleg of the thing which you can see below.  Gotta say, it looks pretty damn good.  I just hope they don't kill off Sidney, I've got somewhat of a crush on Neve Campbell...for the past 15 years.

Deathly Hallows TV Spot

The first TV spots for Part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are starting to hit the airwaves, and you can check one out below.  It's mostly a condensed version of the most recent trailer, but there are a few new shots and of course...they took out the part about it being in 3D.  And it still looks incredibly awesome.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 opens on November 19th.