ABC goes old-media to promote "Castle"

(SEASON, CASTLE, AUTHOR, MYSTERY, NOVEL, HYPERION)

By James Hibberd
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - As television networks brainstorm dizzying high-tech ways to promote shows online and via social networks, ABC is adopting a decidedly retro medium to excite viewers for the upcoming second season of "Castle": a book.
Because the show`s protagonist, Richard Castle, is a best-selling author of mysteries, what more appropriate tie-in than to publish a mystery novel credited to the character?
The first chapter of Castle`s novel "Heat Wave" will debut August 10 on ABC.com.
The network will post the first half of the book, a chapter a week, for 10 weeks. The full novel will be published September 29 by Disney sister company Hyperion. The story apparently is a stand-alone mystery with elements that relate to the on-screen story.
The show`s second season premieres in late September.
The network teamed with Hyperion for 2006`s "Lost" tie-in "Bad Twin" and "The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer," which tied in to the ABC miniseries "Rose Red." The real author of "Heat Wave" is not being unveiled.
(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)
Original article

Aerosmith drummer writes of "Hitting Rock Bottom"

(AEROSMITH, KRAMER, PEOPLE, ABOUT, HAMILTON, ALBUM)

By Gary Graff
DETROIT (Billboard) - Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer says he wrote his new book, "Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom at the Top," in order "to be entertaining, but at the same to ... help people."
Kramer tells Billboard.com that "Hit Hard," which was published Tuesday (June 30), is the result of a four-year process with writers William Patrick and Keith Garde. The book, which includes a forward by Motley Crue`s Nikki Sixx, chronicles the drummer`s substance abuse problems, his psychologically scarring relationship with his father and a similarly tumultuous, "co-dependent" battle with Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler. Kramer hopes that the book will shed some light for those dealing with the same issues in their lives.
"My desire to help people plays a strong part in my character," Kramer says. "Because I`ve been allowed to do what I`ve done via Aerosmith, I`d like to be able to carry it on as I get older, on another level. Whatever that may be is really unbeknownst to me -- maybe some sort of a lecture series or circuit or whatever -- but I know that it will come."
Kramer says that Tyler -- whose own autobiography, "Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?," has been pushed from an October publication date to the summer of 2010 -- was supportive during his bandmate`s book-writing process. "When I was trying to tell him about some of the stuff that was in the book, his comment was ... `Hey, man, as long as it`s the truth, I don`t care,`" Kramer recalls. "And that`s pretty much where Steven is at. He`s about the truth."
Bassist Tom Hamilton, who Kramer portrays in "Hit Hard" as perhaps his closest friend in Aerosmith, calls his rhythm section partner`s tome "pretty amazing. It`s a really hard-hitting book ... but there`s also a lot of neat references to people that we knew when the band started and things that happened that I forgot about. So it has some real entertainment value, too."
Aerosmith as a band collaborated with author Stephen Davis on 1997`s "Walk This Way: The Autobiography of Aerosmith," but Hamilton says he does not anticipate each member of the Boston quintet bringing out his own book.
"Right now my passion is expressing myself through music," Hamilton says. "I think the thing to do is to be the last one to write a book. That way you can let everybody else put things in their book that are gonna make you mad, and then you can answer back and (have) the last word."
Aerosmith is on the road with ZZ Top until mid-September and performing its 1975 album "Toys in the Attic" during the shows. The group plans to return to work on its next album with producer Brendan O`Brien after the tour.
(Editing by Sheri Linden at Reuters)
Original article

Jackson`s final hours puzzle doctor, family

By Mary Milliken and Alex Dobuzinskis
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The personal physician at Michael Jackson`s side when he died told police he did not inject the singer with painkillers that friends say might be behind the King of Pop`s death on the brink of a comeback bid.
A lawyer for Dr. Conrad Murray told Reuters on Sunday that the cardiologist found Jackson, 50, unconscious in his rented mansion on Thursday and tried to revive him.
"The doctor was surprised when this happened. He didn`t know why Jackson stopped breathing," said Edward Chernoff, the attorney who accompanied Murray during three hours of police questioning on Saturday.
Los Angeles police said after questioning Murray that they do not consider him a suspect, and law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times the meeting revealed "no red flag" of criminal activity.
As the case remains shrouded in mystery, the entertainment world geared up for its first big tribute to the pop star at the BET awards on Sunday. Top performers rushed to Los Angeles to appear at the show, modified at the last minute to honor Jackson.
The Jackson family holed up in their L.A. compound making plans for a funeral that could take place on Wednesday, possibly at the pop star`s famous Neverland estate in California, family friend Stacy Brown said.
Brown told Reuters that a family source said Jackson had received an injection of the narcotic painkiller Demerol shortly before paramedics were called to the mansion.
`FAMILY HAS QUESTIONS`
"They have been concerned about his addiction to medicines for years," said Brown, who co-wrote the book "Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask."
"It`s been no family secret that they`ve been trying to get him help for his addiction," she said.
Chernoff said Murray "never prescribed nor administered Demerol to Michael Jackson," adding that Murray was paid by concert promoter AEG Live in the lead-up to the singer`s long-awaited comeback concert series.
The family carried out its own autopsy on Saturday after the Los Angeles Coroner said it would need four to six more weeks to determine the exact cause of death.
Jesse Jackson, the civil rights leader who was with the Jackson family last week, told People magazine that the family had questions.
"There is a concern about what happened the last 12 hours of Michael`s life," said Jackson, who is not related to the family. "The doctor has shown some bizarre behavior."
Chernoff said Murray was unaware of any underlying health problems that could have led to the singer`s death.  Continued...
Original article

"Transformers" in high gear already

By Gregg Kilday
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Debuting Wednesday to an estimated $60.6 million, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" already has begun its triumphal rounding of the box office bases that should see it set a record or two by weekend`s end.
Once Michael Bay`s sequel to the 2007 hit based on the Hasbro toy line staked out the upcoming weekend, there was never any question that it would dominate overall sales. Competitors steered clear of the date, with only Warner Bros. fielding the feel-good weepie "My Sister`s Keeper" in a modest bit of counterprogramming.
So the new "Transformers" -- machine-tooled with the help of a budget said to have approached $200 million -- isn`t really competing against the other current releases: The Paramount release is out to do battle against the record book.
If Paramount`s first-day sales estimate holds, the sequel already can claim the distinction of the biggest Wednesday opening ever. It vaulted ahead of 2007`s "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which bowed to a one-day gross of $44.2 million.
It came unexpectedly close to challenging "The Dark Knight," which holds the records for biggest opening-day gross and best single-day gross: It collected $67.2 million when it opened last year on a Friday. And it squeezed ahead of 2007`s "Spider-Man 3," which debuted to $59.8 million, which had enjoyed runner-up status to "Knight" in the best single opening-day list.
"Transformers`" accelerated takeoff was turbo-charged with the help of $16 million from midnight screenings, included in that $60.6 million opening number.
Entering the weekend, the Paramount/DreamWorks co-production -- which is looking to draw in a wide audience base with the help of its fast-rising stars, Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox -- looks on track to surpass the debut of the first "Transformers," which opened on a Monday evening and collected $155.4 million in its first 6-1/2 days. By the close of business Sunday, the sequel probably will have passed that mark and in just its first five days.
In doing so, it also would overshadow 2004`s "Spider-Man 2," which holds the record for the best Wednesday-through-Sunday opening with $152.4 million.
"Transformers" still would have a hard time challenging "Dark Knight" for the best five-day gross of all time, $203.8 million. "Dark Knight" was a hit with the fans and critics. Not so "Transformers," which as of Thursday had a low-ball 22 percent approval rating at Rottentomatoes.com.
But Bay`s movies have never depended on critics. During the Friday-to-Sunday portion of its debut, the first "Transformers" pulled in $70.5 million. If its sequel maintains its momentum, it will best that number, attracting $80 million-$90 million and possibly more as it heads toward a five-day gross of at least $150 million-$175 million.
The holdovers at the multiplex will have to settle for doing business in "Transformers`" shadow. Disney`s rom-com "The Proposal," last weekend`s top grosser, Warners` breakout comedy "The Hangover" and Disney/Pixar`s animated "Up" should all move down a notch, as they register numbers in the high-teen millions.
"Sister`s Keeper," starring Cameron Diaz in the tale of a family dealing with one daughter`s leukemia, is aiming to lure older female moviegoers from the "Transformers" juggernaut. One of its selling points is that it`s directed by Nick Cassavetes, who directed "The Notebook," a leggy, summer sleeper. "Keeper," though, is probably looking at a gross around the $10 million mark for its opening weekend.
For the handful of moviegoers who turn a deaf ear to "Transformers," the specialty arena will host several new titles.
Miramax will present Stephen Frears` period romantic drama "Cheri," starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates and Rupert Friend.
Roadside Attractions may benefit from the world`s focus on events in Iran as it releases Cyrus Nowrasteh`s "The Stoning of Soraya M.," which examines the plight of one Iranian woman.  Continued...
Original article

Studios wary of Oscar`s new best-picture rule

By Elizabeth Guider
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - If ever there were a time that the town needed a jolt of adrenaline, Wednesday was it -- but from, of all places, the staid, mostly predictable Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences?
What everyone thought would be another sleepy announcement about an arcane rule change in the documentary or foreign language category turned into the headline of the day -- opening up the Oscar race to 10 best picture nominees.
The rationale is not that hard to fathom: The awards telecast has been dwindling in the ratings for a decade; at the same time, folks have been carping about the tilt of the noms -- too arty, too downbeat, too too -- or the exclusion of comedies or the relegation of animation to its own category. Some had even hazarded aloud that, of all things, the Golden Globes were the guys with the right idea, even if their 10 best pic noms are bifurcated by genre.
So with one masterstroke, all the goal posts have been shifted.
Most folks were gobsmacked by the news, with many -- think all those filmmakers who believe their films have been snubbed -- applauding the stratagem. As for wannabe Oscar consultants, now is the time to hang out that shingle.
"I think (Academy president) Sid Ganis has a great marketing mind and that this is a brilliant move," media consultant Michael Levine said. "After all, the biggest sin these days is irrelevance, and whether the expansion ultimately resonates with the public or not, the move will get a lot of attention. Sometimes you just have to do something bold to re-energize a classic brand."
But from a different perspective, longtime Oscar maven Tony Angellotti, who now consults for Universal and Disney Animation, thinks the move could well dilute "both the quality and the impact of the award. I would imagine the studios are grieving over this. They`ll have to spend more money and not likely see a return -- just what they don`t need in a recession."
In fact, one studio executive compared the Academy bombshell to getting doused with a bucket of cold water. He confided that he has enough trouble every awards season figuring out whom they have to satisfy with an Oscar campaign and which talent they can safely neglect or do less for.
"Were we behind this move by the Academy? No way," one top studio executive said. "We`re going to have to spend more money in marketing campaigns for one or more unlikely winner, and mostly there`s very little financial upside even when we do win. All of this takes enormous time and energy, and now it`s extra time and energy."
Another studio executive shook his head in dismay. "This likely means more filmmakers will want to see their movies open late in the year so they can still be in release during the crucial period between nominations (February 2) and the actual telecast (March 7). It`s simply going to clog up the distribution pipeline or mean we have to consider re-releasing one title or another. Don`t even mention what it might do to DVD campaigns."
The studio naysayers were reluctant to speak for the record, however, as they know that the town has become obsessed with and obsessive about awards. They do not want to appear churlish.
The most obvious contingent of happy faces might very well be the talent behind, say, "Up." Almost certainly a shoo-in in the still-to-remain animation category, the Disney/Pixar hit now stands a much better chance of getting into the top 10 noms as well. So too -- given what`s out there so far this year -- is a film like "Public Enemies," Michael Mann`s upcoming period actioner about John Dillinger, which is well crafted and acted, neither too arty nor too populist.
Other pictures that could benefit are the little gems that have "a small but passionate fan base," as another consultant put it, a la "Once" or "The Visitor" or more ambitious movies that got overlooked because they came out at the wrong moment or whatever -- think "Revolutionary Road."
Whatever the consensus around town about the Academy`s bias, the organization has never really turned its back on well-made commercial movies; it just doesn`t have much of a feel or appreciation for warmed-over popcorn -- meaning sequels and other material derived from nonliterary sources like, you guessed it, those proliferating comic-book adaptations.
That`s why the sixth (or whatever it was) iteration of Batman, meaning "The Dark Knight," did not make it into last year`s best picture list, not because the Academy was appalled by how much money the film made.  Continued...
Original article

"Watchmen" director`s cut headed to theaters

By Borys Kit
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The director`s cut of "Watchmen," featuring an additional 25 minutes of footage and the death of a supporting character, will receive a limited theatrical rollout during the weekend ahead of its July 21 home-video release.
The superhero saga, which was considered to be a bit of a box office disappointment during its first go-round in March, will screen in Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis and Dallas.
The rollout will culminate with a special screening July 25 at the Comic-Con International confab in San Diego, taking advantage of a Blu-ray Disc feature that will allow any viewer in North America to watch the movie at the same time as the audience at Comic-Con, see and hear director Zack Snyder comment on the movie, and even ask questions. The screening will then be archived and will be able to be accessed for future viewings.
"Comic-Con, it isn`t just comic book fanatics, it`s cinephiles as well. It`ll be cool to discuss what people are thinking," Snyder said at a "Watchmen" press day, held Wednesday at Warner Bros., where the news was unveiled.
The day was designed to showcase a bonus Blu-ray feature called Maximum Movie Mode as well as features to be seen in Snyder`s Blu-ray release of "300: The Complete Experience."
The theatrical rerelease is unusual, given that the costly movie grossed just $107.5 million domestically. Critics were also divided about the movie, with some saying it was too slavish to the graphic novel`s many devotees.
Snyder, however, stood by it. "I`m proud of the movie. It does everything I wanted it to," he said.
(Editing by Dean Goodman at Reuters)
Original article

"Billy Elliot" dances away with 10 Tony Awards

By Michelle Nichols and Claudia ParsonsNEW YORK (Reuters) - "Billy Elliot The Musical" swept the top U.S. theater honors on Sunday, winning 10 Tony Awards for a Broadway season that defied a recession with record ticket sales.
"Billy Elliot" is based on Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry's 2000 film about a ballet dancing schoolboy in a mining town in northern England. Elton John, who suggested the film be adapted for theater, wrote the music for the production.
"We came here at a hard time economically, you opened your wallets and your hearts to us and we love you for it," said John, one of Britain's best-known musicians whose hit songs include "Candle in the Wind" and "Rocket Man."
"Billy Elliot" was named best musical and the three teenage actors who play the title role -- David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish -- were all named best actor in a musical, the first time three actors have shared the award.
"We want to say to all the kids out there who might want to dance, never give up," Kulish said.
Daldry, who won best musical director, said the boys were "three great gifts of Broadway" and that he was "blessed in the past 10 years of my life to be working on 'Billy Elliot.'" The show has also played in Britain and Australia.
Gregory Jbara won best featured actor in a musical for his role as Billy's father and the show also won best book of a musical and scenic, lighting, sound and choreography awards. It tied with "Next to Normal" for best orchestration.
Alice Ripley was named best actress in a musical for her role as a bipolar suburban housewife in "Next to Normal," which also picked up best original score, beating nominees including Elton John and Lee Hall for "Billy Elliot" and Dolly Parton for "9 to 5: The Musical."
"Billy Elliot" had matched the record number of Tony Award nominations set by "The Producers" in 2001, picking up 15 nods. "The Producers" went on to win a record 12 awards.
"Hair," the new production of the groundbreaking 1960s musical, won the Tony for best revival of a musical.
LIZA AND LANSBURY AMONG WINNERS
"God of Carnage" -- with an all-star cast of "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Hope Davis and Jeff Daniels -- picked up the most awards for a play, winning best play, director of a play, and best actress for Harden.
"God of Carnage" director Matthew Warchus beat himself -- he was also nominated for best director for "The Norman Conquests," a trilogy of comedies that came to Broadway from a sold-out run in London, which won the Tony best play revival.
Liza Minnelli won the best special theatrical event Tony for "Liza's at the Palace," which featured a musical tribute to the 1940's nightclub act of her godmother, Kay Thompson.
"This is exquisite," a breathless Minnelli said. "I thought my beautiful man over there was going to win," she added, referring to comedian Will Ferrell, who was nominated for "You're Welcome America. A Final Night with George W. Bush." Continued...
Source: Reuters

"Billy Elliot" early winner at Tony Awards

By Michelle Nichols and Claudia ParsonsNEW YORK (Reuters) - "Billy Elliot The Musical" was an early winner at the top U.S. theater honors on Sunday, picking up six behind-the-scenes Tony Awards for a Broadway season that defied recession with record ticket sales.
"Billy Elliot" is based on Oscar-nominated director Stephen Daldry's 2000 film about a ballet dancing schoolboy in a mining town in northern England. The show won 10 Drama Desk Awards and seven Outer Critics Circle Awards in the lead up to the Tonys.
"I have to thank Elton John. It was his idea to make this a musical in the first place," said Lee Hall, who won the Tony Award for best book of a musical. "He insisted we start with the music."
Hall and John, whose many hit songs include "Candle in the Wind" and "Rocket Man," are also nominated for best original score for "Billy Elliot."
Hundreds of people lined the street outside New York City's Radio City Hall, cheering nominees including singer Dolly Parton, comedian Will Ferrell, "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini and Oscar winners Liza Minnelli and Geoffrey Rush.
The Tony Awards were established in 1947 and are named for Antoinette Perry, whose nickname was Toni. Perry, who died in 1946, was an actress, stage director and philanthropist who was a founder of the American Theater Wing.
Around 750 people from the theater industry -- from actors, to directors to journalists -- vote for the Tony Awards.
The Broadway League says the 39 theaters in the famous district contribute $5.1 billion per year to the economy of New York, on top of ticket sales, and support 44,000 jobs.
During the 12-month Broadway season ending May 24, 43 shows opened -- the most in more than 25 years, said the Broadway League. There were 10 new musicals, eight new plays, four musical revivals, 16 play revivals and five special shows.
Broadway's paid attendance was 12.15 million tickets, down from 12.27 million the previous season, but gross takings rose $6 million, or 0.6 percent, to $943.3 million, beating the previous record set in the 2006/07 season of $938.5 million.
(Additional reporting by Carmen Perry)

Source: Reuters