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Tag: Television

  • Netflix Targets Kids In UK With New Ad

    Over the past year or so, Netflix has been greatly increasing its focus on kids. This continues with a new ad the company has just released targeting kids in the UK, called Netflix Kids Takeover:

    In the ad, Netflix plays up titles like Cloud With a Chance of Meatballs, Up, iCarly, Mars Needs Moms!, Oscar’s Oasis, Austin & Ally, The Princess and the Frog, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2, LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Wall-E, Rango and of course, Mako Mermaids, its recently launched original series.

    Last year, Netflix launched the Just for Kids offering, and has since added a ton of kids-oriented content. It recently announced major deals with Dreamworks Animation and Disney, which will see a plethora of popular kids titles on the way.

    We can probably expect a great deal more original kids content from Netflix as well. Mako Mermaids is likely just the beginning, with the company planning to double its investment in original content.

    Kids have been a focal point for Netflix’s marketing here in the U.S. as well.

  • Here’s A Taste Of What’s About To Hit Netflix

    Netflix is a revolving door of movie and television content, particularly on the streaming side of things. Though titles often disappear from availability, new ones are also frequently added. Sometimes these come in the form of Netflix original shows or even exclusive access to certain programming, but sometimes it’s just older titles that many find to be still worth watching.

    Content is added to Netflix streaming each week, and it can be difficult to keep up with what’s available all the time. With that, here’s a look at some new additions.

    Note: This is for the U.S.

    Finally, the much-hyped Aziz Ansari stand-up special is going to be available as well as the hit of the summer, Sharknado. There are quite a few interesting titles coming in this round, including much more TV content like the complete series of Chuck and Leverage, as well as the last season of The Killing. Here are some titles you can expect to appear over the coming week.

    Available on 11/01:

    Arnez J: Racially Motivated (2013)

    Live-wire comedian Arnez J. totes his talent for impressions to the stage of Boston’s Wilbur Theater for this one-hour comedy special that pokes fun — lots of fun — at racial stereotypes.

    Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive (2013) – A Netflix Comedy Special

    Red-hot comic Aziz Ansari (“Parks and Recreation”) shares his views on adulthood, babies, marriage, love and more in the modern era. Filmed live in Philadelphia, Ansari’s unfiltered look at his own place in today’s adult world is smartly hilarious.

    Charlotte’s Web (2006)

    Dakota Fanning, Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Cedric the Entertainer, Kathy Bates, Reba McEntire

    Hollywood A-listers give voice to E.B. White’s beloved barnyard characters in this retelling of the classic children’s tale. When Wilbur the pig discovers he’s destined for the dinner table, kindly spider Charlotte hatches a plan to keep him around.

    Chuck: The Complete Series

    Computer genius Chuck Bartowski excels at underachieving at the electronics store where he works with his slacker pals, but his life is altered forever when he accidentally downloads top-secret data into his brain and becomes a government asset.

    Compulsion (2012)

    Heather Graham, Carrie-Anne Moss, Kevin Dillon, Joe Mantegna, Kate Trotter, Theresa Joy

    Amy, a wannabe professional chef, uses her culinary wiles to win her friends’ devotion and thinks she will easily triumph over her new neighbor, Saffron, a reclusive ex-child star. But Saffron has a food obsession of her own that might trump Amy’s.

    Escape to Witch Mountain (1975)

    Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann, Eddie Albert, Ray Milland, Donald Pleasence, Walter Barnes, Reta Shaw

    Gifted orphans Tony and Tia use their superpowers to find a place called Witch Mountain — and escape from the nefarious clutches of two schemers who are posing as loving relatives and trying to exploit the kids’ special abilities.

    Exile

    With his life in ruins after being fired from his London media job, Tom heads to his hometown for the first time in years. There he finds his father in his sister’s care and battling Alzheimer’s, and determines to solve the mystery of his leaving.

    Kidnap and Ransom: Seasons 1-2

    When U.K. businesswoman Naomi Shaffer is kidnapped during a trip to South Africa, British ransom negotiator Dominic King is charged with bringing her home alive — and soon realizes the kinapper’s motives are more sinister than he’d ever imagined.

    Land Girls: Series 2-3

    A new girl arrives at the farm and sets her sights on Billy. Meanwhile, the manor house has been commandeered by the Americans.

    Leverage: The Complete Series

    Backed by a staff of thieves and hackers, former insurance investigator Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton) pulls a 180 on the corporate and government entities he used to protect. And with good reason: they played a role in his young son’s tragic death. Aldis Hodge co-stars in this TNT original drama as Ford’s go-to gadget guy, with Gina Bellman and Christian Kane playing the roles of his most-trusted con artist and a martial arts expert.

    Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: Series 1

    Get ready to immerse yourself in the opulent, exciting world of Australia’s leading lady detective Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) in “Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries”. Phryne (pronounced Fry-nee) is a glamorous and thoroughly modern woman of the 1920s.

    Norman (2010)

    Dan Byrd, Emily VanCamp, Richard Jenkins, Adam Goldberg, Billy Lush, Camille Mana, Jesse Head

    To cope with his father’s terminal cancer, a troubled high schooler begins telling everyone — including his new girlfriend — that he has the same disease. But keeping up the ruse proves just as difficult as dealing with real life.

    Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (2011)

    Stop-motion animation pioneer Ray Harryhausen inspired a generation of directors and special effects experts, as this documentary illustrates. The film presents Harryhausen’s collection of prop models, as well as rare experimental footage.

    Somm (2012)

    Filmed in six countries over a two-year period, this documentary follows four sommeliers as they embark on an all-consuming course of study for the prestigious (and nearly impossible to pass) Master Sommelier exam.

    Tammy Pescatelli: Finding the Funny (2013)

    Wife and mother Tammy Pescatelli, winner of Comedy Central’s “Stand-up Showdown,” lives the same life that you do — except that she makes it seem hilarious in this spirited one-hour comedy special.

    The Bletchley Circle

    Four ordinary women with an extraordinary flair for code-breaking and razor-sharp intelligence skills are the focus of this murder-mystery drama. Having served as code breakers in World War II, the four now focus their talents on catching killers.

    The Killing: Season 3

    A young Seattle girl’s disappearance sets in motion this moody crime series centering on Det. Sarah Linden, who’s trying to start a new life in California but is unable to walk away from the mysteries posed by the complex case.

    This is Not a Film (2011)

    When the Iranian government banned director Jafar Panahi from making a film for 20 years, he titled his next project This Is Not a Film. The resulting documentary covers a day in Panahi’s life as he reflects on his unhappy situation.

    Twixt (2012)

    Val Kilmer, Bruce Dern, Elle Fanning, Ben Chaplin, Joanne Whalley, David Paymer, Anthony Fusco

    In this gothic horror film from Francis Ford Coppola, a has-been writer becomes embroiled in a murder mystery during a stop on his book tour. The ghost of a girl appears in his dream and reveals some surprising and dark secrets.

    Wild Eyes: The Abby Sunderland Story (2011)

    Teen Abby Sunderland dares try to become the youngest person to sail around the globe solo, but her journey — and survival — are put to the test. Thrust into danger, Abby is forced to think fast when the sea turns on her and her childhood dream.

    Available on 11/02:

    Flight (2012)

    Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Don Cheadle, Melissa Leo, Brian Geraghty, Bruce Greenwood

    After his amazing safe landing of a damaged passenger plane, an airline pilot is praised for the feat, but has private questions about what happened. Further, the government’s inquiry into the causes soon puts the new hero’s reputation at risk.

    Olympus Has Fallen (2013)

    Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Finley Jacobsen, Dylan McDermott, Rick Yune

    Director Antoine Fuqua’s action thriller stars Gerard Butler as a disgraced Secret Service agent who must come to the rescue when Korean terrorists descend on the White House and take the president hostage.

    The English Teacher (2013)

    Julianne Moore, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins, Nathan Lane, Fiona Shaw

    Devoted small-town English teacher Linda yearns for love. Enter Jason, a former student whose career as a Broadway playwright didn’t pan out. When she persuades him to stage his play at the school before giving up, love — and controversy — arises.

    Available on 11/04:

    Heaven’s Lost Property Forte: Seasons 1-2

    Girl-crazy Tomoki’s quiet life gets turned upside down when beautiful, winged Ikaros falls from the sky — and starts calling him master. Her origins are a mystery, but she might have the power to make Tomoki’s every dream come true.

    Available on 11/05:

    Computer Chess (2013)

    Patrick Riester, Wiley Wiggins, Myles Paige, Robin Schwartz, Gerald Peary, Gordon Kindlmann

    This comedic period piece set before PCs became commonplace centers on a 1980s chess tournament in which human competitors get their first crack at testing their skills against a machine.

    Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011)

    This intimate and loving portrait of the legendary arbiter of fashion, art and culture illustrates the many stages of Vreeland’s remarkable life. Born in Paris in 1903, she was to become New York’s “Empress of Fashion” and a celebrated Vogue editor.

    Frank Skinner Stand-Up: Live from Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena (2008)

    Frank Skinner, award-winning comedian, and former half of Baddiel and Skinner, returns to the stage after a gap of ten years, with this performance at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena.

    The Fitzgerald Family Christmas (2012)

    Kerry Bishé, Connie Britton, Edward Burns, Heather Burns, Marsha Dietlein, Noah Emmerich

    Family rifts crop up and complications ensue when absentee father Jim Fitzgerald — who deserted his wife and seven children two decades earlier — announces his intention to return home for Christmas.

    Russell Kane: Smokescreens and Castles Live (2011)

    The Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winning show Smokescreens & Castles explores self, family, and the consequences of Russell’s Dad buying his own council house. Sociological silliness and high energy contortions guaranteed in an unforgettable comic experience which will leave you wanting more.
    Sharknado (2013)

    Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, John Heard, Cassie Scerbo, Jaason Simmons, Alex Arleo, Neil H. Berkow

    When a freak hurricane swamps Los Angeles, thousands of sharks are swept up in tornadoes and deposited all over the city, where they terrorize the shocked residents. Among them is bar owner Fin, who must rescue his estranged wife and daughter.

    Tar Creek (2009)

    Tar Creek is an environmentally devastated area in northeastern Oklahoma with acidic creeks, stratospheric lead poisoning and enormous sinkholes. Nearly 30 years after being designated as a Superfund cleanup program, residents are still struggling.

    Available on 11/06:

    Dead Man Down (2013)

    Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Terrence Howard, Dominic Cooper, Isabelle Huppert, Luis Da Silva Jr.

    This taut crime thriller stars Colin Farrell as a brutal gang enforcer who falls for a woman bent on exacting revenge on his boss. Via seduction and blackmail, the woman persuades the gangster to help her achieve a bloody payback.

    The Host (2013)

    Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, William Hurt, Frances Fisher, Jake Abel, Max Irons, Boyd Holbrook

    When an alien race implants a parasite soul named Wanderer into Melanie Stryder’s body, she resists the takeover. Soon, Melanie and Wanderer become reluctant allies as they go on a quest to track down the men they love in this sci-fi thriller.

    Available on 11/07:

    Europa Report (2013)

    Christian Camargo, Embeth Davidtz, Anamaria Marinca, Michael Nyqvist, Daniel Wu, Karolina Wydra

    In this nail-biting thriller, a private space-exploration company sends six astronauts to determine whether Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, can sustain life — and what they find terrifies and transforms them.

    The Lifeguard (2013)

    Kristen Bell, Mamie Gummer, Martin Starr, Alex Shaffer, Amy Madigan, Joshua Harto, David Lambert

    After hitting a rough patch, 29-year-old Leigh abandons her journalism career, moves back in with her parents and gets a job as a lifeguard. Soon, she begins an affair with a teenage boy she meets at the pool.

    See more recently added titles here.

    Image: YouTube

  • Netflix Is About To Add The Entire ‘Leverage’ Series

    It’s a big week for Netflix subscribers who want to see more television content come to the streaming service.

    As previously reported, Netflix announced a new deal with CBS and Showtime to bring the complete Dexter series to its catalog, and the first half of it went live today.

    On Friday, Netflix will add the entire series of NBC’s Chuck and the third season of AMC’s The Killing. Joining those two will be the complete series of Leverage, the TNT drama starring Timothy Hutton. Here’s the description:

    Backed by a staff of thieves and hackers, former insurance investigator Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton) pulls a 180 on the corporate and government entities he used to protect. And with good reason: they played a role in his young son’s tragic death. Aldis Hodge co-stars in this TNT original drama as Ford’s go-to gadget guy, with Gina Bellman and Christian Kane playing the roles of his most-trusted con artist and a martial arts expert.

    There are five seasons, which originally aired from 2008 – 2012.

    See more recently added content here.

  • Netflix Is Adding The Entire ‘Chuck’ Series To Its Streaming Catalog

    In case you haven’t noticed, Netflix has been adding a lot of television content to its streaming service lately. Each week, more seasons of more TV shows become available.

    Earlier this week, Netflix announced a new deal with CBS and Showtime to add Dexter, the complete series, to its streaming catalog. In fact, that just went live today (the first half anyway), so enjoy.

    While there was no big announcement made, Netflix is also about to add the complete Chuck series. That should be available to you on Friday, November 1st (at least in the U.S.).

    The show ran on NBC for five years, from 2007 to 2012. Here’s the description:

    Computer genius Chuck Bartowski excels at underachieving at the electronics store where he works with his slacker pals, but his life is altered forever when he accidentally downloads top-secret data into his brain and becomes a government asset.

    If you never watched it, you can now binge on the whole thing. If you did watch it, you can watch it again.

    All five seasons are also available through Netflix’s DVD-by-mail service.

  • ‘The Killing’ Season 3 Gets A Netflix Release Date

    Netflix has informed us that The Killing: Season 3 will become available for streaming in the U.S. on Friday, November 1st. As promised, that’s about three months after the last episode first aired.

    Back in May, ahead of the Season 3 premiere, news came out that Netflix would stream episodes in the UK and Ireland the day after they premiered int he U.S. on AMC, pretty much like they did with Breaking Bad. This was the result of a deal, which would also bring the season to Netflix just three months after the last episode aired, which is a great deal sooner than Netflix usually gets TV show seasons.

    In fact, it was the deal with Netflix that enabled the season to even be created. AMC had initially decided to cancel the show after the second season, but Fox Television Studios made a deal with Netflix in March, which would see Netflix become the exclusive subscription-based streamer of the series. The money from that deal was what made the third season possible.

    Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said earlier this year, “We’re thrilled to be bringing Season 3 of The Killing exclusively to our members in the UK and Ireland. The Killing is an incredibly gripping fan favorite so we wanted to make each new episode available as soon as possible.”

    Netflix will no doubt be watching view numbers for The Killing closely. Is it possible that Netflix itself could even revive the series once again? It is, after all, doubling its investment in original content, and they cared enough about this show to get it this far. It’s not like they haven’t brought back canceled shows from the dead in the past. It’s only a thought, but doesn’t seem outside of the realm of possibility if the views are there.

  • Gronkowski Brothers Pitching Animated TV Series

    It’s a story about five brothers and their proud dad. Four of the brothers are or were professional athletes. One of them, you probably know, Rob Gronkowski, aka “Gronk” the celebrity, stub, tight end for the New England Patriots. Now, there is a chance that we will get the opportunity to see the Gronkowski Brothers and all their brotastic hijinx recreated in animated form on a television set near you.

    Deadspin is reporting that the Gronkowski family is currently pitching an idea for an animated series loosely based upon their lives. The show would of course be titled, “The Gronks.”

    Barry Petchesky of Deadspin got his hands on a leaked pitch video. Please note that there is some lewd, adult content in this clip. Here’s a look at what we can expect:

    Judging by the video, the show is for an adult audience, geared towards the Adult Swim demo. There will be jokes about Viagra, lots of curse words and childish hijinx like throwing snowballs at moving cars.

    The Growkowski brood consists of five brothers: Gordy Jr. (a former minor league baseball player), Chris (a former NFL player), Dan (a former NFL player), Glenn (currently playing football at Kansas State) and Rob (the famous one who earned two Pro Bowl bids.) Both Chris and Dan moved around from team to team during their short professional careers in the NFL. They were both released from their respective teams this past summer. You can get a better look at the family on their website “Gronk Nation.”

    Rob Gronkowski is presently in the middle of the NFL season, where his New England Patriots are 6-2 and in first place in the AFC East. Therefore, it seems like the leaked video is serving as a seed for Hollywood, and the major wheelings and dealings (if there are any), will come after the NFL season ends this winter. However, Ricky Blitt, a television writer who co-produces the Fox animated show “The Family Guy” has allegedly expressed an interest in “The Gronks.”

    Tell us what you think. Would you like to see a cartoon version of the Gronkowski family?

    Image Via Facebook

  • Bob Barker Makes Appearance on The Price is Right

    Come on down! CBS is reporting that legendary The Price is Right game show host Bob Barker will be returning to the show for a special guest appearance that will air on his 90th birthday, December 12th.

    Barker was the show’s host for 35 years before his retirement in 2007. Comedian Drew Carey took over the hosting duties and has been there ever since. The plan is for Barker to present a special showcase. You may also remember that Barker used to warn his audience that they should, “Help control the pet population. Have your pets spayed or neutered” at the end of every show. Drew Carey has also continued the tradition. CBS will honor Barker’s lifelong commitment to animal activism by running pet adoptions from December 9th through December 13th.

    Here’s a look at one of the most classic moments from The Price is Right . It’s from an episode that aired in 2006. It has over 5,000,000 hits on You Tube.

    Bob Barker’s special episode has already been taped. So even though we know about Barker’s appearance on the show, the studio audience was in a for a huge surprise when he suddenly showed up. Thankfully, it appears that CBS and Barker worked out their differences after the former host was not invited to the production’s 40th Anniversary Show last year.

    The Price is Right is as popular as ever. It is still the #1 rated daytime television show.

    Image Via You Tube

  • Netflix, Hemlock Grove Help Boost Gaumont Revenue

    Apparently Netflix series are having a positive financial impact on the studios creating them. This is at least the case for Gaumont, which is responsible for Hemlock Grove, the Eli Roth-produced werewolf mystery series that Netflix released earlier this year.

    In fact, the studio credits the show, along with its NBC series Hannibal for a 57% revenue increase as its film division stumbled.

    The Hollywood Reporter reports:

    Hemlock Grove and Hannibal have boosted the bottom line for French mini-major studio Gaumont, with the studio’s revenue up 57 percent through the third quarter, which it attributed to the strength of its new LA-based TV production arm. Revenues totaled $170.2 million (€123.6 million) through Sept. 30 over $108 million (€78.5 million) in the same period in 2012.

    Gaumont International Television (GIT) brought in $78.6 million (€57.1 million) for the group. Its Netflix and NBC hits propped up the historic studio, which saw its film section stumble slightly. Film division revenues were down to $87.4 million (€63.5 million) from $101.3 million (€73.6 million) year-over-year, with a steep 21 percent decline in the French home video market.

    Hemlock Grove: Season 2 is slated for a 2014 release. A deal for a shorter second season was announced in June. It will have some new cast members and, according to Roth, some “cool surprises.”

    Image: Hemlock Grove (Gaumont/Netflix)

  • 6 Shows Predicted To Die This Fall

    Television audiences are fickle, as they have proven time and time again. The success of a show hinges on many things: chemistry between characters, plot lines, good writing, believable acting. When one or more of those things is off, you can count on viewers to find something else to watch pretty quickly.

    According to The Wrap, there are six shows on the air right now that will probably be getting axed soon, for various reasons: “Hostages”, “Trophy Wife”, “Sean Saves The World”, “Betrayal”, “Neighbors”, and “The Carrie Diaries”.

    Most of the shows are suffering from low ratings–“The Neighbors” and “Sean” are the two lowest-rated comedies on television right now–but there are also other factors at play. “Hostages” and “Trophy Wife” are up against some tough competition, with “Hostages” following NBC’s hit “The Blacklist”. “Trophy Wife” is being overshadowed by “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” However, it’s predicted that “Hostages” will follow through with the season, as it was ordered as a “limited run” mini-series. Executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer had other plans before the show aired, however.

    “We hope to get not only two seasons, but a lot more,” he said. “So this is not a miniseries for us.”

    Meanwhile, shows like “The Carrie Diaries” may still have an audience, but they are watching episodes online rather than tuning in during broadcasts, which accounts for the ratings dip for the second season: .2.

    Image: YouTube

  • Alyssa Milano Isn’t Ready For A “Charmed” Reboot

    Alyssa Milano took to Twitter recently to voice her opinion on the news that began circulating around the web earlier this week: the remake of “Charmed”, which will air on CBS.

    The former child-actress was one of the screen queens of the ’80s with her role on “Who’s The Boss”, and moved almost seamlessly into a success in the ’90s as one-third of a group of sister-witches on “Charmed”. During that time, supernatural shows were all the rage: “Buffy” and “Angel” were enormous hits, and now the trend has come back around, as they are wont to do; when “Underworld” came out, it was all about werewolves. When “Twilight” hit theaters, vampires were everywhere. Now, television execs want in on the witch craze that has come about as “American Horror Story: Coven” and “Witches Of East End” draw in viewers.

    “Charmed” was a noted piece of history for the WB after running for eight seasons–even after one of it’s original stars, Shannen Doherty, was replaced in season 4 by Rose McGowan–with a nearly all-female cast, so it’s not hard to see why any network wouldn’t want to bring it back to life.

    “I think really it’s due to the success of Charmed and the fact that it had so much success even after it was done, meaning that people looked for it, people searched it out and watched those episode over and over,” Milano said. “The Charmed fans are the greatest fans on the planet and the most loyal fans on the planet. I feel like networks are trying to replicate that.”

    Milano took to Twitter to talk about how she feels it’s just too soon for a reboot of the show.

    McGowan went for a more direct approach:

    “Charmed” joins “Murder, She Wrote” in a new batch of television reboots coming up.

    Image: YouTube

  • Dina Manzo Returning To “Real Housewives Of New Jersey”

    Dina Manzo, the estranged sister of Real Housewife Caroline Manzo, is reportedly making a return to the show for the upcoming sixth season.

    Dina left the show after appearing for a few seasons and has said that she didn’t want to deal with the drama it creates within the family. Indeed, this incarnation of the show has been riddled with drama, so much so that it was spoofed on “South Park” and various other comedies after Teresa Giudice had a meltdown and started flipping tables during an argument.

    “She doesn’t really want to do the show with family because it brings unnecessary drama and causes problems. I understand why she doesn’t want to do a show with family. I totally get it,” said Dina’s sister-in-law Jacqueline Laurita.

    Laurita is married to Chris, brother of Dina and Caroline. The families have each seen their share of issues within their own homes and with each other, and Giudice–who has been embattled in court drama with her husband this year for tax fraud–always seems to be at the root of it.

    “It’s weird because she’s being so nice, it’s making me kind of miss the old Teresa,” Jacqueline said in an episode last month. But she said, ‘I live my life like I don’t do things to people because karma comes back to you and if it doesn’t come back to you, it comes back to your kids.’”

    Chris interpreted that to be a slight against their son, Nick, who is autistic.

    “A lot of things that Terea says are hurtful, and I’m not sure if she’s saying them intentionally, or just not thinking about it, just words come out of her mouth like puking or vomiting. I don’t have any time for bullshit,” Chris said. “You know what I mean?”

    Dina Manzo posted the news of her return to Twitter, saying the time just feels “right” to come back to the show. With her return comes more changes; as Caroline takes her leave, Nicole and Teresa Napolitano and their friend Amber Marchese will also be added.

    Image: Twitter

  • Entourage Movie: Get Ready Fans, It’s Official!

    The Entourage movie has finally been made official after years of delay, and speculation about the fate of the film. Members of the cast and director, Doug Ellin continued to tweet about the fate of the film recently, until yesterday when it was finally revealed that it would be made.

    Entourage was a very popular television show that aired on HBO from 2004-2011. After the show’s finale, an Entourage movie was rumored to be made almost as soon as the show’s emotional end. The film was originally green-lit in January, but has been delayed several times since.

    The show featured Adrian Grenier as the star of the show, Vincent Chase, a Hollywood actor. He is joined by his “entourage” of Eric, Turtle, and Johnny “Drama” Chase, his brother. The crew all originated from New York, and came to Hollywood where they meet Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven), and the show focused on the ups and downs of Chase’s career.

    The Entourage movie’s original announcement came from Jerry Ferrara, who played Turtle on the show, and it came in the form of a tweet. Earlier in the day, he also appeared on the Wendy Williams show in order to promote his new film Last Vegas, when of course, he was also pressed on the fate of the Entourage movie. On the show, he told Williams “It’s looking good. It’s looking real good. It could be closed today.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2iFnsXJLcw

    There has been much controversy over the film, and the reasons for it being delayed. The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that the reason for the delay was because of Jeremy PIven’s high paycheck, and his co-stars wanted a similar deal to Piven’s.

    Despite those reports, Ferrara claimed that the problems have just been due to scheduling, and that he would be happy to do it for free. He went on to mention that they hope to start shooting in January, and in fact, the Entourage movie needs to start shooting by January 2014 in order to be eligible for the California tax credit, which Warner Bros. has made a condition of the film being made.

    Adrian Grenier aslo humorously posted this fake driver’s license on both his Facebook and Twitter.

    When fans last saw the Entourage gang, many people probably remember an emotional finale with everyone seeming to go separate ways, at least temporarily. Eric finally proposed to Sloan, Vince was off to work on a new film, Turtle was making more moves as a businessman, and Johnny was even starting to see a bit of success, with Ari becoming the head of his own studio.

    Perhaps the most important tweets of the night came from Doug Ellin, who in one tweet, even responded to NBA star Kevin Durant saying that this is arguably the best day of his life.

    The Entourage movie will pick up six month after the series’ finale, with Ari being featured as a powerful head of a studio. Well, the emotional roller-coaster for fans is finally over, and we can all rest assured knowing that the film will begin shooting in a matter of months.

    Image via Youtube

  • Christina Ricci Marries Her Longtime Boyfriend

    Christina Ricci, an actress who jumped into the spotlight as some tend to do at an early age, has just wed her longtime boyfriend, James Heerdegen.

    A representative of Ricci’s revealed the couple’s engagement in February after rumors had started to swirl around months before that.

    She tied the knot with her fiance Heerdegen on Saturday, saying “I do” to one another on the Upper East Side in New York City.

    The newlyweds were joined by close family friends in an intimate ceremony, choosing to not overdo the process as some celebrities like to do. NBC News mentions that following the ceremony, their guests were able to enjoy a cocktail hour, dinner, dessert, and dancing.

    Ricci has appeared in several films and television shows throughout her career, beginning in 1990 with the film Mermaids. Her childhood career went on to include two Addams Family films and Casper. Since then, she has been several films of almost every genre, including Monster, and The Opposite of Sex, which she received a Golden Globe nomination for.

    Christina Ricci recently starred in the short-lived series Pan-Am, when she met her husband in 2011. The series aired on ABC, and Heerdegen was a dolly grip on the show. While it is a term that is not thrown around too much in Hollywood, a dolly grip operator is a dedicated technician who is trained to operate the camera dolly. He has previously worked on more than 40 film and television productions, including Baby Mama and Nurse Jackie.

    In 2012, Us Weekly revealed that Christina Ricci had a new man in her life, and introduced everyone to her new man, and talked about how the couple went to a fancy spa in Puerto Rico to celebrate their new romance.

    In May, the 33-year-old actress revealed her big plans for the wedding including the dress she planned to wear, the caterer, and more. She also went into detail about the type of ceremony she wanted, revealing her idea of a smaller ceremony when saying “I’m excited to be with all my friends and family, and just have a lovely night.”

    Christina Ricci is very excited about being a newlywed, and has also said that she wants to have children someday with her new husband. She is clearly excited about their new life that they will have together, and in the interview with US Weekly, she also said “He’s my favorite person on Earth.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUG7iGqKiZU

    Image via Youtube

  • Maggie Siff, “SOA” Actress, Expecting First Child

    Maggie Siff and the “SOA” crew just wrapped up shooting for the 6th season, which will give her a bit of a break during her pregnancy, but fans are eager to know how the baby will affect the future of the show.

    Siff, who plays Tara on the successful FX show, hasn’t given any clues as to what’s in store for her character, but creator Kurt Sutter has said in the past that he’s set on season 7–which will begin shooting in May–being the last one. If Us Weekly is correct and Siff already knows the sex of the baby, that will put her due date well before shooting is scheduled to begin.

    As for how the excited mom is doing, she says she’s past the morning sickness stage and is feeling good.

    “I’m past the nausea so I’m feeling a lot better, a lot more energetic. We just finished shooting the season, which is good,” she said.

    Fans will be saddened to learn that the end may be closer than they want it to be, according to Sutter.

    “There’s so many factors that determine whether a show continues or not. I came up with the initial awareness that if this show was being done in sort of the same production model that The Shield was in – and I knew that The Shield had about seven seasons. And I knew that at that point the show ultimately begins to eat itself and becomes more expensive to make. So I thought if we could get a full run I could tell the story I wanted to tell in seven seasons. And I knew by the end of this season I’d have a sense of whether or not I’d be able to do that, and I still think I can. But look, I think if I got halfway through this season or at some point next season I felt like I couldn’t finish it, I’d probably be able to have a conversation with the network. [But] I think after seven seasons I don’t know if we can maintain the rhythm and the pace that we’ve done, and I wouldn’t want to extend it and have it become something that it’s not. So my plan is still to finish it out in seven,” Sutter said.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • Netflix Scores Entire ‘Dexter’ Series With New CBS/Showtime Deal, Release Date Is Halloween

    Netflix announced today that it has entered a new content licensing agreement with CBS, which will bring all eight seasons of the hit serial killer drama Dexter to Netflix’s streaming service.

    The first four seasons will become available on Halloween, and the last four seasons will be available on January 1st.

    The series finale of Dexter just aired on Showtime a little more than a month ago.

    “We’re thrilled to have ‘Dexter,’ one of Showtime’s highest-rated shows on Netflix, and so quickly after it completed its record-breaking run,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “This is one of the great serialized dramas of the past decade and we know our members will enjoy discovering or reliving the twisted world of Dexter Morgan anywhere and anytime they want.”

    “We’re excited to expand our relationship with Netflix’s premium service with this groundbreaking Showtime series,” said Scott Koondel, Chief Corporate Content Licensing Officer at CBS. “Showtime has created one of the signature programming brands on television, and this agreement for ‘Dexter’ further demonstrates the value of this content in the marketplace while expanding the show’s passionate fan base to a whole new online audience.”

    Dexter will join other Showtime shows in Netflix’s streaming catalog, including: Weeds, United States of Tara, The Tudors, The L Word and Sleeper Cell. Many would no doubt like to see others like Homeland, Shameless, Californication, The Big C and Ray Donovan make their way to the service as well. Perhaps in time.

    Dexter will no doubt see significant viewing on Netflix, and will probably find a whole new audience who has never had Showtime.

  • 75% of Americans Don’t Care or Know About Smart TV

    TV Manufacturers are scrambling for a way to increase sales now that consumers have settled in with their HDTVs. While 4K resolutions and content are still on the horizon, “smart” TV functionality is being touted as the must have for TV-watchers.

    Market research firm IHS today reported, though, that most Americans just don’t care about smart TVs. A new survey by the firm found that a full 73% of Americans “are not interested” in purchasing a smart TV within the next year.

    IHS points out that this could be due to a consumer base that is simply ignorant of smart TVs. While only 7% of consumers who are “not aware” of smart TVs intend to buy one in the next year (an odd statistic in itself), that percentage rises to 30% among consumers who are “aware” of smart TVs.

    “The latest results of the IHS U.S. TV Consumer Survey show that TV makers have both a challenge and an opportunity when it comes to selling consumers smart TVs,” said Veronica Thayer, analyst for consumer electronics and technology at IHS. “Few consumers at present want to buy smart TVs now. However, demand can be cultivated if television brands better explain to consumers what smart TVs are, what they do, and why they should buy one.”

    Only 20% of those polled indicated that they expect to buy a new TV within the next year, a drop from 31% polled one year ago. The survey also found that 90% of smart TV owners have their set connected to the internet, and that 80% of them have used their smart TV to watch streaming video services such as Netflix and Hulu. IHS stated that “two to three times” more survey participants considered internet connectivity when purchasing a TV than considered 3-D.

  • Netflix’s ‘Sense8’ To Begin Pre-Production In January

    While we’re not going to be seeing it for probably another year or better, the wheels are in motion for Netflix’s ambitious science fiction series Sense8.

    Netflix announced the show back in in March. It will debut with a ten-episode season, and is slated for a release in late 2014. During the company’s earnings call last week, Netflix said it’s still expected to release at that time, but it is subject to change, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we won’t see it until 2015.

    Either way, it will begin the pre-production phase in January, according to the Wachowskis (of The Mattix fame), who are working on the project with Babylon 5‘s J. Michael Straczynski.

    In an interview about their upcoming movie Jupiter Ascending, the Wachowskis reportedly said as much.

    When the project was first announced, the Wachowskis said, “We’re excited to work with Netflix and Georgeville Television on this project, and we’ve wanted to work with Joe Straczynski for years, chiefly due to the fact his name is harder to pronounce than ours, but also because we share a love of genre and all things nerdy. Several years ago, we had a late night conversation about the ways technology simultaneously unites and divides us, and out of that paradox Sense8 was born.”

    While still few details are known about the plot, we’ve learned the most about it so far from an interview Straczynski gave to Comic Book Resources last month.

    “The series is contemporaneous with current events,” he said at the time. “It is somewhat science fiction in some respects. It concerns eight characters around the world, who are joined telepathically with each other, or empathically, and those who are after them and hunting them to try and stop this next evolution. And the cool thing is that we’re gonna shoot this in the countries that the stories are taking place.”

    Based on what Straczynski had to say about it, they’re trying to do for television what The Matrix did for film.

    Image: Anna Hanks (Flickr/Wikimedia Commons)

  • ‘House Of Cards’ Season 3 May Happen After All

    Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos gave a keynote speech at Film Independent’s annual confab over the weekend, suggesting that we might just see a third season of the Emmy-winning House of Cards.

    Things hadn’t been looking very promising for the continuation of the series past the second season after comments recently made by one of the producers. Earlier this month, reports came out that Rick Cleveland, co-executive producer on the first two chapters of the series, said at the Vancouver International Film Festival that the first two seasons would probably be the only ones ever produced, noting that stars Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright like to do movies.

    Showrunner Beau Williamson had indicated in the past, however, that he would like to continue on with the series, though the original Netflix deal was only for two seasons.

    Deadline quotes Sarandos as saying:

    “Our intent is that the show keep going for sure. It was a 26-episode commitment. It was not our intent that it just run for two seasons.”

    ..

    “Talks are in progress right now, so stay tuned.”

    Obviously things could still go either way, but it is somewhat encouraging that Kevin Spacey recently gave an amazing speech about the Netflix model and how it’s changing the game. During that, he didn’t strike me as someone who was ready to walk away from the show.

    I doubt money will be too big of an issue for Netflix, given that they’re planning on doubling their investment in original content. Keeping their biggest Emmy winner (so far) on the slate is probably a pretty big priority.

    House of Cards: Season 2 is due out in 2014.

    Image via Redbox

  • Julianne Hough Apologizes for Blackface

    Julianne Hough Apologizes for Blackface

    Netflix’s Orange is the New Black is the streaming service’s most successful original series ever, so it should come as no surprise that it is a popular costume choice for Halloween this year. Safe Haven star Julianne Hough teamed up with a few friends to do an OITNB costume theme, but found herself facing backlash after she donned blackface as part of her costume.

    Hough decided to go as the character Crazy Eyes, who is played by Uzo Aduba on the show. Check out the group shot of Hough and her friends as the Orange is the New Black characters below.

    (image)

    As you can see, Hough darkened her face and neck, plus darkened her hair and knotted it up to look like Crazy Eyes. Once pictures of Hough in blackface hit Instagram and Twitter, people began attacking the actress for what many considered to be a racially insensitive costume.

    What do you think? Is the outrage over Hough’s costume choice much ado about nothing or is it justified? Respond below.

    After Julianne Hough received quite a bit of criticism, she posted an apology on Twitter yesterday.

    The rest of Hough’s apology was posted to TwitLonger, which read “It certainly was never my intention to be disrespectful or demeaning to anyone in any way. I realize my costume hurt and offended people and I truly apologize.”

    Check out a close up of Julianne Hough in blackface:

    (image)

    And here is a picture of Uzo Aduba in character as Crazy Eyes:

    (image)

    One thing is for sure–anyone who was thinking about using blackface to pull off an Orange is the New Black Costume–or any other Halloween costume, for that matter–will think twice now.

    [Images via Instagram and YouTube (1) and (2)]

  • “Breaking Ice” Is The “Breaking Bad” Tribute We Need

    “Breaking Bad” hit a chord with millions of fans all over the planet during its painfully short time on television, and with the series finale earlier this year came an ushering in of a ton of tributes, Halloween costumes, and even a funeral for Walter White.

    But never have we seen an homage quite like this. Put together by Sharidan Williams-Sotelo–an assistant editor on the show–“Breaking Ice” is a tribute to Walt, Jesse, and a few of our favorite characters…on ice.

    Check out Skinny Pete, Badger, and Jane dancing their way across the rink and tell me it’s not the best thing you’ve seen today.

    Image via Buzzfeed/AMCTV.com

  • Octavia Spencer To Star In Murder, She Wrote Reboot

    Octavia Spencer has gained quite a reputation lately as a leading actress, and has now been chosen to star in a remake of the popular series, Murder, She Wrote. Spencer will be taking on the role of Jessica Fletcher, that was once portrayed by Angela Lansbury.

    Sixteen years after the original series ended its run, NBC has announced that they will be reviving the show with the help of the Oscar-winning actress. The remake will be put in place by former Desperate Housewives executive producer Alexandra Cunningham and David Janollari, who was the executive producer for Six Feet Under.

    The 43-year-old actress has made quite a name for herself in recent years, finally being able to get her big break in the hit 2011 film The Help, which was nominated for Best Picture.

    Spencer had appeared in several films before The Help came out, but that film finally elevated her to the next level, giving her nominations and wins at several awards shows, including the Academy Awards and The Golden Globes. She also appeared in Fruitvale Station, which was released earlier this year, and has generated some Oscar buzz.

    The new Murder, She Wrote series will be a hour-long drama, and is described as a light, contemporary procedural, compared with a show like Bones. The show will follow Jessica Fletcher (Spencer), who is a hospital administrator and amateur sleuth. Her intense fascination with true crime leads to her to become heavily involved with the investigations.

    In a similar move that several other Hollywood actors have made, Spencer has turned to television in order to gain even more success. Countless actors have done it in the last year, including Kevin Bacon, Liev Schreiber and many more, but whether Spencer will able to revive the popular series for a new generation will be determined when the new show premieres.

    Will NBC be able to pull off the reboot, and is Octavia Spencer the right choice? Discuss in the comments.

    Octavia Spencer will be taking over a role that Lansbury played, earning her 12 Emmy and 10 Golden Globe nominations during the show’s 12-year-run on CBS. This will mark the first time that Spencer has appeared as a series regular, although she briefly appeared on the Sci-Fi channel series called The Chronicle, which aired in 2001.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NslG65UQ6I

    Image via Youtube