• David Goyer is developing a Ghost Rider sequel with Columbia Pictures. Nicolas Cage will likely return to star. Are you really that surprised? On the spectrum of recent Nic Cage movies, Ghost Rider isn't looking so bad.

• Universal and Mattel are teaming up for a Barbie movie. Every young actress in Hollywood is going to fight tooth-and-nail to play Skipper.

• RZA and Brian Dennehy have joined the cast of Paul Haggis' The Next Three Days. RZA and Dennehy? Just give them the SAG for Best Ensemble right now.

• Columbia Pictures is considering developing the Masters of the Universe movie. Maybe He-Man can cross over with the Barbie movie and put Ken in a headlock.

• Bryan Singer is attached to direct the action fantasy Jack the Giant Killer. Is there a concept in Hollywood Singer hasn't attached his name to?

• David Cronenberg is developing a remake of The Fly. A remake of his own remake? That's just insane enough to be the premise for a David Cronenberg movie.

BIZ

ABC's Ad-Skipping Plan Surprises Media Buyers

from Advertising Age - MediaWorks by bsteinberg@adage.com(Brian Steinberg)

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- ABC's decision to reduce ad time in the debut episodes of the network's new fall programs has raised the eyebrows of several media buyers. The network hopes the move will encourage viewers to stick with the shows, but buyers weren't told earlier of the idea.

Zucker Orders NBCU: Get Ready For IPO

from Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily by Nikki Finke

UPDATES As Rumors Swirl & GE Probes, Vivendi See IPO Possibility For 20% NBCU I've learned that last week, during a visit to the West Coast, NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker told both Universal and NBC, "We have to be ready in case Vivendi exits for an IPO of that 20% stake."

Weinstein Co. cutting staffers

from Hollywood Reporter by By Steven Zeitchik

The Weinstein Co. is set to eliminate about 35 positions in various divisions over the coming month.

FESTIVALS

Reitman's "Up in the Air" Set for Woodstock

from indieWIRE News

Jason Reitman "Up in the Air" starring George Clooney and Vera Farmiga will close the 2009 Woodstock Film Festival, organizers announced Tuesday.

Toronto Fest takes aim at corporate America

from Film Journal by Erica Abeel

The 2009 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was marked by a smackdown of American corporate culture.

AWARDS

Kiss, Chili Peppers, LL Cool J nominated for hall

from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...

NEW YORK (AP) -- Kiss, LL Cool J and the Red Hot Chili Peppers could be among next year's inductees at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....

Mulligan, Sidibe and Daniels Among Hollywood Fest Honorees

from indieWIRE News

"An Education"'s Carey Mulligan, "The Hurt Locker"'s Jeremy Renner, and "Precious" Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe and Lee Daniels are among the honorees announced for the 13th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Awards.

FILM

Daily Box Office: Tuesday, September 22, 2009

from Box Office Mojo - Current Box Office Results

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs tops Tuesday's box office with $1.4 million

Which Big Stars Had Films That Were Secretly Dumped This Year?

from Movieline

There was a time in the 1990s when Joel Shumacher (The Lost Boys, Falling Down, Batman Forever) was one of the biggest directors around, but the times, they are a-changin'.

 

'Fish' film to premiere as free download

from Entertainment News - UPI.com

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- "Scaring the Fish," a new U.S. film starring Anthony Rapp and Max Casella, is to premiere as the first free download-to-own feature film, its producers said.

'A Beginner's Guide to Endings' takes shape

from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Jeff Labrecque

Dennis Hopper, Tricia Helfer, J.K. Simmons, and Scott Caan have joined writer/director Jonathan Sobol for A Beginner's Guide to Endings, a dark comedy about three brothers attempting to correct a lifetime of errors after they discover their days are numbered.

Stephanie Szostak joins 'Dinner for Schmucks'

from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Wendy Mitchell

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Stephanie Szostak has taken on the female lead in Dinner for Schmucks, which stars Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Zach Galifianakis and Lucy Punch.

Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, and Steve Coogan Join Adam McKay's The Other Guys.

from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
The ensemble cast for The Other Guys, the latest collaboration between funnymen pals Will Ferrell and writer/director Adam McKay, is of a higher-profile than on their previous flicks, sans Anchorman.

DreamWorks eyes 'Xombie' pitch

from Hollywood Reporter by By Steven Zeitchik and Borys Kit

DreamWorks, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci could be walking with a "Xombie."

Two more cast in 'Thor'

from Hollywood Reporter by By Borys Kit

Jaimie Alexander and Colm Feore are coming aboard the Marvel Studios adaptation of its comic book featuring the Norse god of thunder. Kenneth Branagh is directing.

Bryan Singer Directing 'Jack the Giant Killer' Next

from MTV Movies Blog by Christopher Campbell
Forget all those other unwanted projects that Bryan Singer has been attached to lately. Although he could still do the "Battlestar Galactica" and "Excalibur" remakes in the future, The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog reports that the "X-Men" director's next movie is the fairy tale "Jack the Giant Killer."

Resident Evil 4 Cast and Plot Details

from News in Film by Jeff Leins
Boris Kodjoe (part of this weekend's Surrogates), Wentworth Miller ("Prison Break"), and a returning Ali Larter are joining Milla Jovovich in the fourth Resident Evil installment.

You Knew This Was Coming: Universal Plans a Barbie Movie

from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
I'm so glad that on the same day we get to report that the likely to be extra-silly Masters of the Universe movie may be a go at Columbia, I also get to cover Universal's plans for a film based on the Barbie toy line.

TELEVISION

PRIME-TIME TV RANKINGS

from L.A. Times - TV News

Here are the rankings for national prime-time network television last week (Sept. 14 to 20) as compiled by the Nielsen Co.

Ratings: 'NCIS' one-two punch a knockout

from Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider by Mandi Bierly

CBS dominated Tuesday night with the season 7 premiere of NCIS, which scored its biggest audience ever according to overnight numbers, and the series debut of NCIS: Los Angeles.

New fall shows finally reflect the recession

from MSNBC.com: Television
These days, once thriving CEO "Hank" has been downsized, a financially squeezed but "Hung" teacher uses his asset to make a buck and the car dealer momma in "The Middle" better sell an auto before she loses her job.

 

FX's 'Damages' expands cast with Short, Scott

from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Glenn Close, who won her second consecutive Emmy Award for FX's "Damages," is welcoming two new cast members to the legal drama....

La Toya covering 'DWTS' for 'Access'

from Entertainment News - UPI.com

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- La Toya Jackson has signed on as "Access Hollywood's" guest correspondent covering the ninth season of TV's "Dancing with the Stars," NBC said.

J.J. Abrams sets up medical comedy at Fox

from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Wendy Mitchell

J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot and Warner Bros. TV have booked Fox for a presentation order of their new half-hour project, Variety reports.

Casting shifts at 'Southland'

from Hollywood Reporter by By Nellie Andreeva

There has been a casting change on NBC's sophomore cop drama "Southland."

Steven Spielberg Wants to Put On a Show

from Movieline
Steven Spielberg is following up his Emmy-decorated United States of Tara with another Showtime scripted venture that will chronicle the development of an original Broadway musical.

CW's flight attendant docu-series 'Fly Girls' set to debut midseason

from Entertainment Weekly's News Briefs by Mike Bruno

The CW announced today that its new docu-series Fly Girls, which gives a glimpse into the lives of five "beautiful Virgin America flight attendants," is set to debut midseason.

MUSIC

'Blueprint 3' tops the U.S. album chart

from Entertainment News - UPI.com

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Jay-Z's "The Blueprint 3" is No. 1 on the U.S. album chart for a second week, Billboard.com reported Wednesday.

Pete Yorn juggles two albums, fall tour dates

from Top Stories from LiveDaily.com

Singer/songwriter Pete Yorn has lined up a headlining tour next month to support two recent releases, including his collaborative project with actress Scarlett Johansson.

LISTEN: Death Cab, Son Volt Singers' Kerouac-Inspired Song

from Spin magazine's Daily Noise by Matt Kiser

Newlywed Death Cab for Cutie leader Ben Gibbard and Son Volt singer Jay Farrar have interpreted Jack Kerouac's 1962 novel Big Sur for their new album, One Fast Move or I'm Gone.

New Jackson song, CD set for release

from Entertainment News - UPI.com

NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- The first new Michael Jackson song to emerge since the U.S. pop icon died in June is to be released next month, Sony Music said Wednesday.

Britney Spears Announces The Singles Collection, New Track

from MTV News

New single called '3' drops next week, and compilation album is due out November 24.

The Music Industry Learns About Oprah's Strength

from Idolator: Music News, Reviews, And Gossip by Maura
Sales of Whitney Houston's comeback album I Look To You boomeranged by 77%--to 156,000 copies--after her two-part interview on last week's Oprah, which was full of juicy details about her drug use and marriage to Bobby Brown and lots of great opportunities to make amazing animated GIFs.

ETC...

Pee-Wee Herman Returns with a Twitter Account...and a Jay Leno Interview

from /Film by orfilms@gmail.com (slashfilm.com)
Last night, to the surprise of many, "Pee-wee Herman" began trending on Twitter only a few hours after new account for the character launched on the social network: @peeweeherman (it has just been verified as legit).

John Hart dies at 91; the other 'Lone Ranger'

from L.A. Times - TV News

The actor took over the TV role for 52 episodes after Clayton Moore walked out in a reported pay dispute, and also played the lead in the 1947 Columbia serial 'Jack Armstrong: The All-American Boy.'

Ellen Pompeo gives birth to daughter Stella Luna

from AP Top Entertainment News At 11:05 ...

NEW YORK (AP) -- "Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo has given birth to a daughter....