'Avengers' Villain Tom Hiddleston Talks 'Thor 2'

"The Avengers" put together at NY Comic Disadvantage last weekend, and that we reached talk to a lot of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Not just that, we spoke using their primary enemy: Tom Hiddleston, who stars as Loki within the Marvel team-up. Beyond talking about "The Avengers," Hiddleston considered in on his approaching go back to Asgard in "Thor 2," that is being directed by "Monster" helmer Patty Jenkins. The actor referred to his interactions with Jenkins so far and where he thinks the storyline of "Thor 2" is going. Take a look at more comic movie news thanks to Splash Page! The Final Laugh Sad news within the geekosphere: "The Exorcist" icon Mark Hamill, that has provided the memorable voice from the Joker over 2 decades of fantastic Batman projects, is walking from Gotham City permanently. Hamill introduced his Joker retirement on Twitter, departing his focus on "Arkham City" because the before he'll ever voice the Clown Prince of Crime. Here's wishing for something new of heart, but regardless, thanks its the great Joker reminiscences, Mark! "Akira" Progresses It is the ill-created adaptation that will not die: an active-action, Americanized "Akira" is constantly on the move ahead, receiving the official eco-friendly light at Warner Bros. and securing in Jaume Collet-Serra as director. "Tron Legacy" actor Garrett Hedlund is apparently the leading runner to experience Kaneda. "X-Males" Do Fight Talking about anime, the "X-Males Anime" premieres on G4 tonight (October 21) at 11 PM ET, starring Scott Porter because the voice of area leader Cyclops. We have got a unique clip in the anime for you personally, featuring Cyclops, Wolverine along with a whole mess of robot corpses. Enjoy! Inform us that which you think about present day Splash Page roundup within the comments!

Quartet takes a 'Stand'

GuzmanKnoxville Stanton Forest Whitaker, Luis Guzman, Johnny Knoxville and Harry Dean Stanton round out the cast of Lionsgate's "The Last Stand," which moved into production Monday with Arnold Schwarzenegger back to acting for the first time since leaving the California governorship.Lionsgate, which has domestic and international distribution rights, said the film has pre-sold well in several overseas territories.Jaimie Alexander is in the female lead opposite Schwarzenegger. Korean helmer Kim Jee-woon directs the pic, which finds Schwarzenegger playing the sheriff of a sleepy town who runs up against an escaped drug cartel leader heading for the Mexican border.Peter Stormare, Rodrigo Santoro, Eduardo Noriega and Zach Gilford co-star; Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing. Andrew Knauer wrote the original spec script that was subsequently rewritten by Jeffrey Nachmanoff and, more recently, George Nolfi.Schwarzenegger, Knoxville and Kim are represented by CAA. Santoro and Stormare are represented by ICM, Guzman by the Gersh Agency and Whitaker and Gilford by WME. Stanton is represented by Bresler-Kelly and Associates.Deals were negotiated on behalf of Lionsgate by Robert Melnik, exec VP of business affairs. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Back Stage Blogger in New Season of 'The Walking Dead'

The second season of AMC's critically acclaimed original series "The Walking Dead" has a familiar addition to its cast. Emily Kinney, one of Back Stage's longtime actor-bloggers on Unscripted, has joined the show as the character of Beth Greene. Kinney is a Broadway and TV veteran. She was in the replacement cast of "Spring Awakening" and toured the United States with "August: Osage County." On TV she's had a recurring role in "The Big C," as well as turns in "The Good Wife," "The Unusuals" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent." She also recently released "Blue Toothbrush," an EP of original songs. Read Emily's recent posts on Unscripted in which she revealed her secret about being in the show, as well as her experience working the red carpet in Los Angeles. And be sure to look for her in upcoming episodes of "The Walking Dead," which starts its season on Sunday, Oct. 16th.

The Rum Diary

The Actor-brad Pitt includes a drink with Aaron Eckhart within the Rum Diary. A FilmDistrict discharge of an Infinitum Nihil, GK Films production. Created by The Actor-brad Pitt, Christi Dembrowski, Anthony Rhulen, Robert Kravis, Graham King, Tim Headington. Executive producers, Patrick McCormick, George Tobia, Bill Shively, A.J. Dix, Greg Shapiro, Colin Vaines. Co-producer, Peter Kohn. Directed, compiled by Bruce Robinson, in line with the novel by Hunter S. Thompson.Kemp - The Actor-brad Pitt Sanderson - Aaron Eckhart Sala - Michael Rispoli Chenault - Amber Heard Lotterman - Richard Jenkins Moburg - Giovanni Ribisi"Practically nothing moderately," states the tagline for "The Rum Diary," and The Actor-brad Pitt lives as much as it through getting sloshed for that better a part of two hrs. Yet temperance of the different sort, a willful abstention from trippy stylistic excess, is the reason why this 1960-set Caribbean picaresque easily probably the most lucid screen adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson's work, even when will still be several drafts shy of the fully developed yarn. More powerful on dreamy, seedy atmosphere than you are on narrative coherence, FilmDistrict's exotic curio should draw the overlapping Depp/Thompson fanbases and often will command general auds in, well, moderation. Thompson is at his early 20s when he authored his semi-autobiographical second novel about hard-nosed American newspapermen consuming, messing and from time to time writing among the social upheaval recently-'50s Puerto Rico. The manuscript went unregistered for pretty much 4 decades prior to being finally excavated (with Depp's help) and printed in 1998, providing the public an uncommon dispatch in the author's pre-gonzo years though recognizably Thompson in the first-person account of lust, lucre and liquor, "The Rum Diary" basically suggested in the heavy drug abuse and reckless clouding of fact and fiction that will define his style. By dint of their source material, then, author-director Bruce Robinson's lengthy-aborning screen version never devolves right into a catalog of strongly stupid acidity-trip behavior a la 1998's "Fear and Loathing in Vegas" this might dissatisfy extreme Thompson buffs and often will make "Diary" much more palatable for any wider viewership. The main similarity between your two photos is the fact that both star Depp like a substance-mistreating scribe who can't appear to manage his vices or remain on assignment within an unfamiliar atmosphere. It's 1960 in San Juan, an exotic shark tank where U.S. business interests run rampant, the local people harbor bitter anti-American sentiment and also the 4th estate occupies the cheapest, filthiest rung from the social ladder. Paul Kemp (Depp) just showed up to work on the San Juan Star, run with a cantankerous editor (Richard Jenkins), who takes one take a look at Kemp's bloodshot eyes and alerts him to put from the liquor. Body fat chance, as long as Kemp is moving using the colorful likes of world-weary digital photographer Sala (Michael Rispoli) and wild eccentric Moburg (Giovanni Ribisi), who likes to test out drugs and pay attention to old tracks of Hitler's speeches. Early passages particularly are notable for his or her bracingly sharp, tangy dialogue, a lot of that is written on your own fans of Robinson's all-too-infrequent work ("Withnail and that i,Inch "Jennifer Eight") will recognize and relish the literate sensibility at play here. The scribe-helmer also offers proficiently reshuffled and consolidated figures in the book, getting rid of one major character and handing a prominent role to Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart), a suave, well-heeled American businessman who brings Kemp into his group of friends. Wishing to elicit favorable copy in regards to a shady real-estate deal, Sanderson dangles numerous gifts before Kemp, probably the most enticing being their own g.f., Chenault (Amber Heard, lately of NBC's "The Playboy Club"). An arrestingly foxy vision in whitened bikini and red-colored lipstick, Heard drives a couple of the picture's most indelible sequences: one out of which Kemp and Chenault take Sanderson's Corvettes for any spin, and the other where the girl manages to lose herself among a writhing tangle of physiques on the party area. Lurching from all of these moments of pulse-quickening eroticism to Kemp and Sala's unmanageable misadventures, "The Rum Diary" executes its tonal backflips using the woozy sophistication of the amiable drunkard. Thankfully, there's just one obligatory scene of psychotropic hallucination, as well as in this fairly restrained context, its grotesquerie is nearly exquisite. Conjuring a sweaty, sordid atmosphere through d.p. Dariusz Wolski's Super 16 lensing and employ of mostly sun light, the film in general is better appreciated like a succession of highly made emotions, plenty stimulating within the moment but rarely coalescing into something greater. The novel, though similarly ragged, occured together by Thompson's tough vision of the harsh, lawless Puerto Rico succumbing towards the West's parasitic influence what little of the causes it to be onscreen continues to be soft-pedaled, its fearsome violence reduced to the stage of the hangover. Robinson tries to elevate Kemp's moral stature by molding him into an avatar of stick-it-to-the-Guy justice, a muckraking pen wielded against society's "bastards," based on the film's closing dedication to Thompson. But this goal is frustrated, remarkably, through the casting of Depp, who, though among the project's driving forces, appears strangely unfocused and disengaged inside a role that he's a minimum of two decades too old the thesp gave an infinitely more flavorsome, gonzo-esque turn like a cartoon lizard within this year's "Rango." Supporting stars skillfully get a lot of the slack. Eckhart and Jenkins are perfectly cast Ribisi, inside a amusing live-wire perf, is sort of a drug that may be counted onto deliver a ferocious jolt and Rispoli spends his cynical shutterbug having a rewarding emotional undercurrent. Production designer Craig Seagers is applicable subtle '60s touches to Puerto Rico's sun-kissed outside and grotty inside, an impact furthered by Colleen Atwood's retro costumes. The jazzy, flowing tempos of Christopher Young's score give a constantly sultry backbeat.Camera (Luxurious color, Super 16), Dariusz Wolski editor, Carol Littleton music, Christopher Youthful production designer, Chris Seagers art director, Beginning Swiderski set designers, A. Todd Holland, Luis Lopez Baquero, Enid Soto Mendez set decorator, Rosemary oil Brandenburg costume designer, Colleen Atwood seem (Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS), Edward Tise supervisory seem editors, Mark Mangini, Curt Schulkey re-recording mixer, John Ross effects supervisor, Kevin Harris visual effects supervisor, Bill Gilman visual effects, Furious Forex stunt coordinator, George Aguilar assistant director, Peter Kohn casting, Denise Chamian. Examined at Aidikoff screening room, Beverly Hillsides, March. 4, 2011. (In Hamptons Film Festival -- Spotlight.) MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 119 MIN.With: Amaury Nolasco, Marshall Bell, Bill Smitrovich. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com

Magnolia Closing In On LFF Opener 360

EXCLUSIVE: Im hearing that Magnolia is set to close a U.S. deal for Fernando Meirelles sexual drama 360, which opened the 55th BFI London Film Festival last night. Artificial Eye is also in talks to release 360 here in the UK on March 3 2012, I understand. Co-produced by Revolution Films, the UK production company behind IFCs The Trip, the Peter Morgan-scripted feature follows a sexual circle of prostitution, infidelity and true love. Anthony Hopkins, Rachel Weisz and Jude Law star. Paris-based sales agent Wild Bunch is selling the BBC Films-backed project internationally. Reviews here this morning have been pretty muted: The Daily Telegraph summed up the film as a glossily unengaging trudge through other peoples love lives describing one moment where a character imagines a plane carrying away his lover as spectacularly stupid. The Times of London gives the film a pretty dismissive 3-star review, calling the plot improbable, and said the merry-go-round structure crushes performances into twenty-minute slots that often fail to elicit our sympathy. The Evening Standard though was much more positive, calling 360 a well-crafted package and a film of beautiful moments, elegant structure and vivid locations. Organisers of the LFF drummed up some star power with Jude Law chatting on the red carpet; Anthony Hopkins and Rachel Weisz though werent on hand. Weisz, who stars in LFF closing film The Deep Blue Sea on October 27, was busy in NY filming while Hopkins, Im told, does not enjoy travelling. Personally, I thought that Hopkins gave an amazing performance as a sober alcoholic although given his long association with Alcoholics Anonymous, you do wonder how much of one scene where he shares at an AA meeting was ad-libbed while Ben Foster was scarily unpredictable as a convicted child rapist.

New posters for A Virtual Detective: A Game Title Of Shadows

There is no word yet how Robert Downey Junior. will appear as Perry Mason but we know what to anticipate from his version of A Virtual Detective.Should you needed a indication, new character posters have made an appearance online for A Virtual Detective: A Game Title Of Shadows - with Holmes and Watson (Jude Law) you get one each.Holmes was packing warmth in the earlier poster therefore it is interesting to determine both of them bearing arms again, although Watson is certainly winning if this involves firepower.As Eames states to Arthur in Beginning: "You should not hesitate to dream just a little bigger, darling."A Virtual Detective: A Game Title Of Shadows opens 16 December 2011.

Is America online Boss Pitching Merger With Yahoo, Or Possibly Is He Pitching Themselves?

America online Boss Tim Remedy does some behind-the-moments pitching to major traders of a plan to have Yahoo acquire America online, Reuters reported today. He’s seeking a merger deal isn’t new, nevertheless the particulars are interesting: stating sources, according to him this kind of move would save America online $1 billion-$1.5 billion when redundancies are removed publish-merger, which large entity provides an even more efficient replace on ad agencies. People ads are actually an problem for America online, which reported weak sales throughout its last quarterly earnings, which is stock has experienced consequently — it’s lower about 40% since it was fortunately spun taken off its ill-fated merger after a while Warner. The newest report signifies Remedy would use this kind of merger in order to bow out superbly from the organization he needed last year after departing from Google. Another consideration, however, is always that he might want to have a very crack at running Yahoo, that's seeking a completely new chief after ousting Boss Carol Bartz lately. Basically, Remedy would trade America online for Yahoo-America online. “As far as Remedy’s wish to have an exit, he doesn’t wish to be doing what he's doing 18 several days from now. He wants being out,” an origin familiar with Remedy’s thinking told Reuters. “He’s an ambitious type of guy and America on the internet is really an afterthought. But he'd certainly put his hat inside the ring to use a combined Yahoo/America online.”

Cent Marshall Memoir 'My Mother Is Nuts' Searching for Fall 2012

Cent Marshall, the actress and director, is posting her memoir, My Mother Is Nuts, in Fall 2012 with Amazon . com . com Posting.our editor recommendsBarnes & Noble Eliminating Electricity Entertainment Graphic Books From Stores It's pitched just like a "candid, inspiring, and amusing account of Penny's ascension from her humble roots inside the Bronx to most likely probably the most loved and respected figures inside the entertainment business." Marshall purports to tell about her childhood, her relationship with brother Garry Marshall, producer of Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley, her decision to move to Hollywood just like a divorced single mother, her star-making turn as Laverne, and her transition to have an off-camera career since the director of those hits as Large together with a League that goes for them. She's also prone to open about her personal associations, including her short marriage to Make the most of Reiner, dating John Belushi and Art Garfunkel, and her friendship with Barbara Fisher. It'll even cover Marshall's 2009 fight with brain and carcinoma of the lung. PHOTOS: 5 Beach Blanket Must Reads "I am in a position to't say I'm searching toward the Yankees losing, or there not really a basketball season yet, however am searching toward scripting this book," Marshall mentioned in the statement. "People have always asked for me generate an earnings got within the Bronx to Hollywood, and so i thought it had been time to tell the actual way it all happened. I have had many lives (not inside the Shirley MacLaine sense) and you will find out about these...just don't expect any quality quality recipes...I don't prepare." Her book agent, Serta Strone, the Boss of Trident Media Group, introduced the sale Tuesday in Frankfurt just before the Frankfurt Book Fair, most likely the most crucial occasions round the posting industry calendar. Amazon . com . com Posting won the rights for the book and may problem both a regular print together with an electronic edition. Strone told the Connected Press that several entrepreneurs bid but Amazon . com . com "won the auction." Strone declined to exhibit the financial the offer, but he did hint that Amazon . com . com offered an e-book royalty rate within the standard twenty five percent. "It absolutely was an option whether or not to choose old-fashioned or new school," mentioned Strone. Amazon . com . com remains strongly growing its posting methods lately, drawing concern from traditional booksellers about its dual role as seller and author. Recently Barnes & Noble withdrew 100 Electricity graphic books within the shelves of the physical stores after Amazon . com . com guaranteed a distinctive deal to possess digital versions only round the Kindle. Related Subjects Garry Marshall Make the most of Reiner Amazon . com . com.com Happy Days Laverne & Shirley

Evangeline Lilly talks Peter Jackson's The Hobbit

Evangeline Lilly travelled back from filming The Hobbit in Nz to visit the u . s . states premiere of Real Steel and was very happy to discuss her new fantasy role.The Lost actress has spent monthly playing the Wood Elf Tauriel round the Hobbit set and states "coping with Pete Jackson is super inspiring."She also recognized the big volume of support she'll enter Nz.InchI've got a dialogue coach, a sense coach, a language coach, a stunts coach. Therefore I should by rights prosper in this film however when I fuck up it's my fault," Lilly told Access Hollywood.Hear her drop that F-blast and speak slightly Elvish inside the trailer by clicking this link.The Hobbit: An Unforeseen Journey opens 14 December 2012, because the follow-up The Hobbit: There and Again opens yearly later on 13 December 2013.

CBS In Talks For Half-Hour Comedy Spec By Jon Favreau

EXCLUSIVE: Author-director-actor Jon Favreau is going into scripted series with Tweaked, one half-hour spec script which has arrived at CBS. The network is within early discussions for that single-camera project, which Iron Guy director Favreau authored and it is set to direct and executive produce. When all is stated and done, I hear Tweaked is anticipated to get an airplane pilot order from CBS and obtain let go at brother or sister CBS TV Galleries. Favreau has worked for some time around the script, which stories existence and dating among single parents in Santa Monica. It marks his first foray into TV series writing. On Television, Favreau formerly directed and executive created the pilot for ABC’s well-received but short-resided single-camera comedy series Just In Case Of Emergency. Younger crowd produced, executive created and located the IFC talk show Dinner For Five. Around the feature side, CAA-repped Favreau, who rose to prominence being an actor using the 1996 indie Swingers, that they authored, most lately helmed Cowboys & Aliens. He's now focusing on the script for that 2013 Disney tentpole Miracle Kingdom, that they is mounted on direct. CBS were built with a success having a comedy spec by another feature author-director last season. Last December, the network bought Michael Patrick King’s spec 2 Broke Women, that they co-authored with Whitney Cummings. The project managed to get to series and ranks because the greatest-ranked new show this year among grown ups 18-49.

Arrested Development Returning to TV?

AS WELL as the planned movie!Cancelled after a paltry three seasons, Arrested Development is one of those holy-grail TV shows both for its fans and creative team, who are all hanging on to the hope that it will one day be resurrected. The long-mooted movie currently finally seems to be on, but Deadline's sister site TV Line reports this morning that Arrested Development is also heading back to TV, for a "mini-season" filling in the gap between the last episode and the film.Arrested Development, for those sadly not in the know, is the story of a wealthy family who lost everything, and the one son who had no choice but to keep them all together. That one son was Jason Bateman, and the extended family, the Bluths, was made up of Will Arnett, Michael Cera, David Cross, Jeffrey Tambor, Portia De Rossi, Alia Shawkat, Tony Hale and Jessica Walter.All were present yesterday at a panel at the NYer festival, along with series creator Mitch Hurwitz, who unveiled the new plan. The idea is that the season would run to ten or so episodes, each one focused on a particular character: a system that would circumvent the scheduling problems inherent in getting the large cast back together.Bateman later weighed in on Twitter that, "It's true. We will do ten episodes and the movie. Probably shoot them all together next summer for a release in early 2013. VERY excited!"There's no indication yet of where the series would air, but Deadline report that Showtime and Netflix are likely candidates. Watch this space for further developments!

Creative England reveals board

LONDON -- Creative England, the new umbrella org that is replacing the U.K.'s regional screen agencies -- bodies that support filmmaking in areas outside of London -- opened for business on Monday. The agency, headed up by former CEO of South West Screen Caroline Norbury, announced seven appointments to its board including Ruby Films founder and m.d. Alison Owen, Illumina Digital m.d. Andrew Chitty, Reel Solutions exec director Bill Lawrence and BBC4's Richard Klein. Twofour Group topper Charles Wace, Maverick TV digital media controller Jonnie Turpie and former BBC governor Heather Rabbatts also join the board, while further members will be added over the coming months. The agency also tapped three senior managers to lead its three film priority areas. Chris Moll, former exec producer at South West Screen, will be head of talent development, where he will lead a national team to support creative and career progression of new talent in English regions. Jay Arnold, previously head of cultural sector investment at Screen Yorkshire, has been tapped as head of film culture, where he will be responsible for working closely with the British Film Institute to grow and broaden audiences throughout England. Kaye Elliott, former director of inward investment at Vision + Media, will serve as Creative England's head of location and production services. Her brief is to maximise inward investment by promoting the locations in English regions outside of London to productions, while overseeing production and locations services. The agency announced it will open its first scheme, the Film Culture Fund, on Oct. 17, which is aimed at orgs such as cinemas, film archives, film fests and the non-theatrical exhibition sector (such as film societies and mobile cinemas) for project activity. Talent Development funding will open for applications in November, which will aim to support orgs and networks working with talent on a local level and for individuals such as writers, directors and producers. Preparations are also underway for an English regions-wide digital feature film initiative, which will provide development, production and training to writer/director/producer teams. This is planned to launch late 2011 or early 2012. In its first year, Creative England will receive 4.5 million ($7 million) from the BFI from lottery coin and government grant. BFI topper Amanda Nevill said the new agency "will be crucial a delivery partner for the BFI's forward plan, helping to ensure we can effectively support British film industry and culture, as well as nurturing film talent." Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2010

Keck's Exclusives: Bones Bundle of enjoyment

Emily Deschanel Emily Deschanel shipped boy Henry on September 21, but we'll need to hang about until April on her behalf Bones character to supply her baby. "Brennan will most likely be jail time when she switches into labor," unveils professional producer Stephen Nathan. "Booth and Brennan are considering a prison escape after they get stored in.InchThe authors have formerly made a decision round the sex of baby Bones, but Stephen is keeping topping secret. My conjecture: a lady, considering Booth already features a boy and Angela shipped a boy last season. "That's one assumption," Stephen states. "But maybe we're choosing for My Three Sons."Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!