• The Ghost, the Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan thriller from Roman Polanski, has been delayed due to the director's recent arrest. The movie was set to be released in February.

• George Clooney will star in The American, an international espionage tale from director Anton Corbijn (Control). The production will film in Italy, probably near Clooney's villa.

• Disney is planning ways to continue Pirates of the Caribbean without Johnny Depp should he decide not to return after the fourth installment. Is Depp just angling for a Captain Jack spin-off? Captain Jack meets Hunter S. Thompson, perhaps?

• The first trailer for the remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street has been released. Jackie Earle Haley is the best thing to happen to the franchise since Roseanne's appearance in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare.

• Michael Jackson's This Is It is already scoring record-breaking presales for its limited theatrical engagement. If only Captain EO was tacked on as an opener. 

• Danny Trejo could have a role in Predators, producer Robert Rodriguez's Predator reboot. Stop the casting process --Trejo can handle the Predators all by himself. 

FESTIVALS

'Serious Moonlight' to open Austin Film Fest

from Hollywood Reporter by By Jay A. Fernandez

"Serious Moonlight" will shine on Austin as the 16th annual festival's opening night film.

AWARDS

Lady Gaga named Billboard's 'Rising Star'

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

NEW YORK (AP) -- Lady Gaga's already famous, but she's being honored as Billboard's "Rising Star" at the trade publication's annual Women in Music event this week....

FILM

Hollywood sees star qualities in classic games and toys

from Los Angeles Times - Celebrity News

The number of films based on brands is growing as studios, encouraged by the success of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' and 'Transformers,' seek to draw moviegoers the way A-list stars once did.

Disney Prepares To Replace Johnny Depp In 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' Franchise

from MTV Movies Blog by Christopher Campbell
Following the recent departure of Disney studio chief Dick Cook, Johnny Depp admitted to being less enthusiastic about returning to the role of Captain Jack Sparrow for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" ("Pirates" part 4, for those who lost count).

China gets Lebron's 'Game'

from Hollywood Reporter by By Jonathan Landreth

"More than a Game," the documentary about the rise of National Basketball Assn most valuable player LeBron James, will screen in China later this year under license to Xinhua Media Entertainment and the China Film Group from Lionsgate and Harvey Mason Media.

'Shutter Island' To Receive Graphic Novel Adaptation Alongside Leonardo DiCaprio Film

from Splash Page by Josh Wigler
"Shutter Island" is more than just an island-bound mental institution, and it's also more than just a Leonardo DiCaprio-starring film. In 2010, it will also be a comic book.

TELEVISION

Ratings: 'The Cleveland Show' debuts well for Fox

from Entertainment Weekly's Hollywood Insider by Annie Barrett

ABC's season premieres of Desperate Housewives and Brothers and Sisters retained their May sweeps audiences, but NBC's Sunday Night Football dwarfed the rest of the competition with an average total viewership of 14.1 million over three hours. Fox scored a solid debut for the highly anticipated The Cleveland Show: 9.4 million people tuned in

TV's Survival Boom

from Forbes.com: Media News by Dirk Smillie

Roughing it in the wild is the hottest trend in media these days. The Discovery Channel is cashing in.

'Mad Men' characters abound on Twitter

from MSNBC.com: Television
The popular '60s-era "Mad Men" TV series has become firmly rooted in the mainstream, and now another stream as well: Twitter, where fans portray various characters on the show.

Joy Behar: New HLN Show "An Infusion Of Humor" During Serious Times

from mediabistro.com: TVNewser
Ask Joy Behar how she got her new HLN gig, and she gives a simple answer. "They asked me to dance," Behar jokes with TVNewser, "and I said, 'Okay, I'll dance with you guys!'"

'The Hills' Salaries Exposed: $90-125k Per Episode

from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post News Team

Cavallari is being paid $90,000 an episode, which is almost as much as Conrad was making: $125,000 an episode (or $2.5 million a year), according to a person with knowledge of the show's contracts.

'The Hills': Kristin Cavallari is ready to put on a show

from Los Angeles Times - Celebrity News

"I pretty much do anything they have me do because I don't care," she said. "Let's make it interesting ..."

Britain Reviews Product Placement Ban, U.S. Slowly Moves in Opposite Direction

from Paste Magazine

Britain's culture secretary announced last week that he plans to relax current restrictions on product placement in British television programs.

MUSIC

Drinking, brawling part of fun for Kings of Leon

from CNN.com - Entertainment

We halfway expect the four members of Kings of Leon to roll into Bar 1200 drunk and brawling, a burly tour manager leading them in by the scruff of their necks.

Spears ends her 'Circus' tour in Las Vegas

from Entertainment News - UPI.com

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- U.S. pop star Britney Spears wrapped up the U.S. leg of her "Circus" concert tour in Las Vegas Sunday night.

Reunited Cranberries Announce First Tour in Seven Years

from Paste Magazine

If you're a current or former alt-rock fan somewhere in the age group of rougly 20-35, you know the music of The Cranberries.

Warner Music, YouTube Reportedly Strike Deal to Restore Videos

from Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily by Daniel Kreps

Warner Music Group and YouTube have reportedly agreed on a new deal that will bring the major label's videos -- including work by artists like Madonna and Green Day -- back to the video streaming Website.

Nas Is 'Nervous' To Address His Personal Life On Next LP

from MTV News

'I don't know what I'm gonna say,' rapper says about breakup with wife Kelis, birth of his son.

ETC...

Jessica Alba: Getting Educated About Education

from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by Jessica Alba

President Clinton convened his Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meeting last week in New York City and I was fortunate to attend.

Hugh Jackman & Daniel Craig vs. The Broadway Audience Member's Cell Phone

from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post News Team
Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig are costarring on Broadway in 'A Steady Rain,' and during one performance last week the two had to take on an audience member's ringing cell phone.

Claire Danes & Hugh Dancy Are Married

from Entertainment on HuffingtonPost.com by The Huffington Post News Team
Claire Danes and British actor Hugh Dancy got married in a low-key wedding in France, Life & Style can report exclusively.