• Al Pacino will play Dr. Kevorkian in a biopic for HBO Films to be directed by Barry Levinson. The '90s are back!

• Dustin Hoffman will play Paul Giamatti's father in the indie drama Barney's Version.

• Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Jane Lynch, Kristin Wiig and Bill Hader have joined the cast of the Simon Pegg and Nick Frost comedy Paul. These comedy folks just travel in packs, don't they?

• Will Ferrell confirmed that Anchorman 2 is close to happening.

• Director Brad Silberling discussed plans to possibly do another Lemony Snicket movie. Hey, Jim Carrey's make-up artists need to work too.

• McG offered the lowdown on the dark ending to Terminator Salvation you didn't see in theaters. Turns out the franchise is killed off by a lackluster fourth installment. Spine-chilling!

BIZ
Broadway posts record takings despite recession
from Reuters: Entertainment News
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Broadway theaters defied the recession to post record ticket sales in the 2008/09 season in what the Broadway League attributed to a need for escapism.

Valderrama in Overall Deal With Relativity
from The Wrap RSS by Michael Speier
Actor will develop series for broadcast, cable.

FESTIVALS
Detroit's 'Movement' Fest Draws Big Crowds, Looks Ahead
from Billboard News - All by Gary Graff, Detroit
Even before the last beats of the Movement 2009 electronic music festival in Detroit faded away Monday night, festival organizers began looking towards the 2010 edition.

Springsteen to headline Glastonbury
from Reuters: Entertainment News
LONDON (Reuters) - Glastonbury, the world's largest green field arts and music festival has shied away from rap and chosen Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and Blur as its headline acts this year, a return to its guitar-based roots.

MOVIES
How Skynet Nearly Won In The Alternate Ending To 'Terminator Salvation'
from MTV Movies Blog by Adam Rosenberg
Here's an interesting bit of information revealed by "Terminator Salvation" director McG in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. The talk concerns an alternate ending to the movie, a decidedly dark one which sounds as though it was never filmed. The article even states that the studio signed off on it, and that Christian Bale -- who plays humanity's savior John Connor -- was its staunchest defender.

'Twilight's' Jackson Rathbone Goes Black Metal
from Access Hollywood - Movies
Jackson Rathbone will be sinking his teeth into a new role as a rocker, according to a new report.

German court lifts ban on cannibal movie
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...
BERLIN (AP) -- A German federal court on Tuesday overturned a ban on a movie inspired by the case of a confessed cannibal, ruling that the artistic freedom of the filmmakers trumped the cannibal's personal rights.

Whedon not involved in 'Buffy' re-do
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, May 26 (UPI) -- The team that holds the rights to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" said it hasn't reached out to Joss Whedon.

Old folks rarely find a good home onscreen
from MSNBC.com: Movies
Films containing complex and interesting older characters -- like "Up" -- are few and far between.

Beastie Boy MCA's Company Acquires Michel Gondry Documentary
from MTV Movies Blog by Brian Warmoth
Film and music video director Michel Gondry premiered a new project, a documentary, last week at Cannes. "The Thorn in the Heart," as it is called, nabbed enough critical endorsement to find a new home at Oscilloscope Pictures, a company co-founded by Beastie Boys member Adam "MCA" Yauch.

Quentin Tarantino Isn't Quite Finished With 'Inglourious Basterds'
from MTV Movies Blog by Adam Rosenberg
Director Quentin Tarantino's latest, "Inglourious Basterds," premiered at Cannes last week. It received a pretty lukewarm reception from the gathered critics, but hey, what do they know?

Sam Raimi Addresses Morbius Rumors For 'Spider-Man 4'
from Splash Page by Rick Marshall
"Spider-Man 4" director Sam Raimi doesn't seem certain about Kirsten Dunst's return or exactly what's going to be in the script at this point, but the rumor mill continues to churn about the next chapter in Spidey's big-screen franchise.

TELEVISION
Breaking Bad: Episode "Phoenix," Flynn's Ugly Website, and Season 2 Finale Predictions
from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
Our recap and mini-essay for last week's Breaking Bad proved surprisingly popular. We're glad to see so many /Film readers tuning in to this superb AMC series; it's a show that frantically cooks up smart debate...as well as predictions for several main characters that are exceedingly bleak and exciting.

NBC News Goes "Inside Obama White House" For Prime Time Special
from mediabistro.com: TVNewser
Brian Williams anchors an NBC News special "Inside the Obama White House" which will air in one-hour installments next Tuesday and Wednesday night at 9pmET/PT.

Advertising: 10 New Sitcoms Meant to Cure the Recession Blues
from NYT > Television by By STUART ELLIOTT
The networks are betting viewers want to feel better, so they're prescribing sitcoms and in one case -- the new Jay Leno show -- a risky treatment.

Real Housewives To Burn Washington D.C. to the Ground
from Defamer by Richard Lawson
Washington is all the rage these days! What with the politics and all. MTV's Real World series might be heading down that way, and Newsweek did that DC-set Hills parody. Well now Bravo's following suit. With--yes you guessed it because, really, what else?--an upcoming installment of Real Housewives.

The Hills: Love Means Having to Grudgingly Say You're Sorry
from Defamer by Richard Lawson
The pen is indeed mightier! In fact, the pen is ultimate. Which is to say, last night was the second-to-last episode of The Hills this season, calloo callay. As any good second-to-last episode is, it was all setup for the dramatic finale next week. So let's sift through the setup.

'Jon & Kate Plus 8' season 5 premiere shatters TLC records
from Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider by Lynette Rice
The heavily promoted fifth-season premiere of Jon & Kate Plus 8 posted record ratings for TLC on Memorial Day.

'Jon & Kate' star says split possible
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
LOS ANGELES, May 26 (UPI) -- Kate Gosselin admitted in Monday's season premiere of the U.S. reality series "Jon & Kate Plus 8" that she and her husband may be headed for divorce.

As a Family Faces Stresses, Its Cable Audience Grows
from NYT > Television by By BRIAN STELTER
Given the number of people who are profiting from the suddenly family-unfriendly TLC show "Jon & Kate Plus 8," a more fitting title would be "Jon & Kate Plus 80."

Pacino to play Kervorkian in HBO pic
from Variety.com
TV News: Barry Levinson to direct project -- Al Pacino has been set to star in an HBO telepic about right-to-die champion Dr. Jack Kervorkian, to be helmed by Barry Levinson.

Conan ready for "Tonight Show"
from Reuters: Entertainment News
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Conan O'Brien has spent five years as the anointed heir to the coveted "Tonight Show" TV slot.

MUSIC
New Reviews: Marilyn Manson, Grizzly Bear, Phoenix and More
from Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily by Rolling Stone
Perhaps perfectly scheduled to shatter the calm that follows Memorial Day weekend, shock rocker Marilyn Manson returns to stores today with his seventh album The High End of Low.

20 CDs we can't wait to hear
from EW.com: Today's Latest Headlines
Dave Matthews, Black Eyed Peas, Daughtry -- just a few of the artists bidding to heat up the summer charts

Sammy Hagar Stimulated By Chickenfoot
from Billboard News - All by John Benson, Cleveland
Tired of the tequila-friendly party shows that he's been performing for the last 13 years with his post-Van Halen solo band The Waboritas, Sammy Hagar tells Billboard.com his decision to form Chickenfoot with guitarist Joe Satriani, former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith was a challenge he desired as an artist.

Scarlett Johansson, Pete Yorn Ready 'Break Up'
from Billboard News - All by Michael D. Ayers, N.Y.
Singer-songwriter Pete Yorn's 2009 is shaping up as a very busy year. After his fourth album "Back and Fourth" hits stores on June 23, he's scheduled to release a Serge Gainsbourg/Brigitte Bardot-style duets record with actress/singer Scarlett Johansson this fall.

No Doubt back together, but did they break up?
from CNN.com - Entertainment
Gwen Stefani and No Doubt return after family time, projects and a couple of solo albums. But it's not a reunion, the ska-influenced pop band insists.

Singer Williams to star in 'Chicago'
from Entertainment News - UPI.com
NEW YORK, May 26 (UPI) -- Singer and actress Michelle Williams has signed on to play Roxie Hart in the West End production of "Chicago the Musical," Music World/Columbia Records said.

Queen's Brian May eager to work with Lambert
from MSNBC.com: Reality TV
Guitarist shoots down rumors that "American Idol" finalist has been offered lead singer position, but has high praise for him.

Linkin Park Cooking Up Genre-Busting Concept Album for 2010
from Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily by Chris Harris
Linkin Park co-frontman Mike Shinoda says the band's fourth studio album is going to be so unique, "they're going to have to come up with a new genre name for what this record is."

Green Day taps big names as tour openers
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
The Bravery, Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand have been tapped as support acts for the North American leg of Green Day's impending world tour.

T.I. begins federal prison sentence in Ark.
from USATODAY.com Life - Top Stories
Rapper T.I. entered an Arkansas federal prison Tuesday to begin a year and a day sentence on a weapon charge.

Meg White and Jackson Smith wed in Nashville
from USATODAY.com Music - Top Stories
White Stripes drummer Meg White has married fiance Jackson Smith in Nashville.

Judas Priest Digs Deep For 'Evil' Live Album
from Billboard News - All by Gary Graff, Detroit
Judas Priest has chosen 10 songs not previously released in live album form for its next concert set -- "A Touch of Evil: Live," which is due out July 14, in the midst of the band's U.S. summer tour.

Melissa Etheridge in limbo after gay marriage ruling
from Reuters: Entertainment News
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer Melissa Etheridge, who never wed her partner during California's brief legalization of same-sex marriages, said on Tuesday the couple were now in limbo after the California Supreme Court affirmed a state ban on gay marriage.

Phish delivers new music as tour launch nears
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
As if the group's imminent reunion tour wasn't enough to get its fans psyched up, jam-band icons Phish have just released the leadoff single from a recently completed new studio album, which will hit stores this summer.

Maxwell confirms venues for summer tour
from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com
Maxwell has announced venues and nailed down a new starting date for his impending summer tour in support of his first new album in almost a decade.

ETC...
Mike Tyson's 4-Year-Old Daughter Dies
from People.com Latest News by Mike Fleeman
The child had been on life support after accidentally choking herself with a cord

Liz Taylor's tweets assure fans she's fine
from CNN.com - Entertainment
Elizabeth Taylor tweeted as she arrived home from a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday afternoon.

George Takei On Prop 8 Ruling: "They Decided To Be Indecisive"
from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post News Team
The California Supreme Court's decision to uphold the state's gay-marriage ban won't affect George Takei's marriage, but the actor is still unhappy with the ruling.

SC judge OKs settlement over James Brown estate
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ... by By KATRINA A. GOGGINS
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- After years of hearings in a protracted battle over how to parcel out James Brown's wealth, a South Carolina judge approved a settlement Tuesday that gives nearly half of it to his charitable trust, about a quarter to his wife and young son, and the rest to Brown's adult children.

Kutcher threatens to stop Twittering
from CNN.com - Entertainment
Ashton Kutcher -- Twitter's top tweeter -- warned he may pull the plug on his tweeting if the micro-blogging service partners on a reality TV show.

Jesus Talks Madonna: 'She Is Beautiful With No Visible Faults'
from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post News Team
Jesus Luz has spoken for the first time about his on/off lover Madonna, saying she is 'beautiful' and has 'no visible faults'.

Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Iago in 'Othello'
from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Public Theater says Philip Seymour Hoffman is set to play Iago in an off-Broadway revival of "Othello" next season.

O.J. Simpson appeals robbery conviction
from Reuters: Entertainment News
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - O.J. Simpson, the former football star acquitted of killing his ex-wife after a sensational trial, asked the Nevada Supreme Court on Tuesday to throw out his armed robbery conviction for a bungled bid to recover his own memorabilia.