Warners, Lin off and away to 'Otherland'

Warner Bros. is going to "Otherland," obtaining feature privileges to Tad Williams' sci-fi book series and configuring it with Serta Lin to create. Studio has drawn on John Scott III to script the film, in line with the four books released by DAW-Penguin USA between 1996 and 2001 as "Town of Golden Shadow," "River of Blue Fire," "Mountain of Black Glass" and "Ocean of Silver Light." Story for that adaptation is placed a century later on and follows several unpredicted heroes who must escape an assassin and get through epic digital mobile phone industry's to solve a conspiracy that intends to eliminate humanity. Seanne Winslow Wehrenfennig at Lin Pictures assists as co-producer and oversee for Lin Pictures. Lin's a producer on "A Virtual Detective: Bet on Shadows" and it is in publish-production on period drama "Gangster Squad," starring Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, and Sean Penn, directed by Ruben Fleischer. He's also creating "Lego: the Bit of Resistance," written and directed by Chris Burns and Phil The almighty, with Warners planning for a 2014 release. Scott's zombie script "Maggie" made the very best 10 from the 2011 Black List called the top title from the 2011 Bloodstream List, the very best 13 most-loved unproduced scripts within the horror, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, and dark comedy/drama genres. "Maggie" is within pre-production with Henry Hobson pointing, and Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, Matt Baer, and Trevor Kaufman creating. Scott can also be adapting Isaac Asivmov's "Caves of Steel" for Fox, also with Hobson mounted on direct. WME signifies the "Otherland" book privileges. Scott is repped by CAA and handled by Trevor Kaufman. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

WB, InStyle celebrate Globes

Sean Combs and Sofia Vergara high-five at WB party. Gus Van Sant and Kelsey Grammer Charlize Theron and Viola Davis The floor was shaking (literally) over at the Warner Bros./InStyle bash, as Tilda Swinton, Kelsey Grammer and the cast of "Modern Family" danced the night away.Seth Rogen, host of next month's Indie Spirit Awards, said he felt "inspired" by Ricky Gervais. "I'm kind of scared now. He was hilarious," Rogen said.Matt LeBlanc could be seen passing around his Globes trophy on the back patio. "All I gotta do tomorrow is get on a plane to London, so I can deal with the hangover," LeBlanc said.

Paul Bettany talks The Avengers

When reading the above headline, you might momentarily have been confused. "Wait, Paul Bettany isn't in The Avengers," you might have thought. But you'd have been wrong.Bettany voices the computer programme known as JARVIS, a role he also played in the two Iron Man movies. Although according to Bettany, he occasionally struggles to remember that fact himself."I forgot I was in Iron Man," reveals the British star. "Someone said, 'I loved you in Iron Man'. I said, 'You've got me mixed up with someone else.' I forgot I did the voice because it was only 30 minutes in a recording studio laughing my arse off!"And as for his work on The Avengers, Bettany isn't afraid to admit that it was the easiest money he'd ever made."I have no input with [The Avengers] other than spending half an hour sitting in a studio doing the voiceover," he explains. "It's the best job I've ever had. I say the lines and they pay me money."A refreshingly honest take on one of the most hyped movies of the year, there. You can listen to Bettany's dulcet tones when the film arrives in UK cinemas on 27 April 2012.

Goodfellas Television Show Finds A House

Mad Males network AMC developing itThings happen to be awfully quiet because the first announcement, in September 2010, of the Goodfellas TV adaptation in development. We started to suspect it may have been fitted having a concrete heavyweight coat and left to sink to the foot of a handy river. But good(fellas) news! The show has been put in development by Mad Males/Breaking Bad cable network AMC.Nicholas Pileggi, who authored the film according to his book Wiseguy, is formally confirmed aboard the show, likely to write the pilot with Homicide: Existence In The Pub veteran Jorge Zamacona.There is no word on which a part of Henry Hill's saga the series would cover, but when it causes it to be towards the air, there's lots of scope to inform the storyline from the Lucchese crime family from the beginning within the sixties to the fall.And it is only some of the period drama that Pileggi continues to be focusing on: he's also got Rob Lamb cooking away, which informs the real story of the cowboy-switched-Vegas sheriff within the same era. That demonstrate has James Mangold mounted on direct the pilot, therefore it remains to appear whether Pileggi will finish up splitting his time between two shows...

Watercooler: Is There a New Romance Brewing on Happy Endings?

Happy Endings Did you guys catch that last night?!For their long-awaited return, Happy Endings' Chicago crew stuck several skewers into the cliched silliness of big-screen rom-coms by juxtaposing Brad and Alex's secret love of Heigl-caliber crapfests with Dave and Penny's face-off over dating one another's therapists. But amid all the spot-on spoofery ("and that's how I almost married my best friend's fiancé!"), there was one honest moment that had us wondering if we were witnessing the birth of a new couple among our Happy family.After their respective dates collapsed - in standard-issue romantic-comedy chaos at a restaurant - Dave and Penny wandered home together, passing the requisite fountain bedecked in twinkling lights, as they laughed about their own tragic love lives. And for just a moment, it seemed like they might just...something. Kiss? Silently acknowledge an attraction? Break into a slow dance, as a gentle rain started to fall? Instead, they just kept on walking, leaving us to wonder if the writers are setting the stage for some sort of Chandler-Monica pairing. Think about it. He's Alex's ex, she's his roomie's best friend. It screams rom-com. But unlike most of those cliché-riddled movies, this combo could actually be screamingly funny.What do you think? Should Dave and Penny give it a go?Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

ABC originals roll on Wednesday

'Modern Family' came 14. million audiences Wednesday on ABC.On the evening once the competition mostly broadcast repeats, ABC's selection of originals -- brought as always by ''Modern Family'' , centered the rankings race. CBS did very good using its latest ''I Have That a Lot'' special, but auds did not appear for Fox's ''Mobbed.'' Based on preliminary national estimations from Nielsen, ABC saw all its programs grow using their season lows in December, beginning with ''The Middle'' (3. rating/9 be part of grown ups 18-49, 10. million audiences overall) and ''Suburgatory'' (2.9/8 in 18-49, 8.7 million audiences overall), which brought the night's opening hour in most key groups. The internet then increased at 9 p.m. with ''Modern Family'' (5.6/14 in 18-49, 14. million audiences overall) after which remained easily on the top at 9:30 p.m. with ''Happy Endings'' (3.3/8 in 18-49, 7.7 million audiences overall). Capping the evening, ''Revenge'' (2.5/7 in 18-49, 8. million audiences overall) easily beat the demo scores for repeat dramas on CBS and NBC. For that evening, ABC won in most key demos in addition to total audiences, rising a lot more than 20% in most groups versus. the comparable evening last year if this also broadcast all originals. CBS finished second, receiving targeted mileage from its ''I Have That a Lot'' special (2.3/6 in 18-49, 8.3 million audiences overall) and repeats of dramas ''Criminal Minds'' (2./5 in 18-49, 8.two million audiences overall) and ''CSI'' (1.7/5 in 18-49, 8.a million audiences overall). Fox adopted a repeat of ''Glee'' (.8/2 in 18-49, 2.4 million audiences overall) using the premiere of limited-run series ''Mobbed'' (1.2/3 in 18-49, 3. million audiences overall) though soft, it did grow in the other half-hour. And NBC were built with a quiet evening with encores of ''Up All Night'' (1./3 in 18-49, 3.5 million audiences overall), ''Whitney'' (1./3 in 18-49, 3.a million audiences overall), ''Harry's Law'' (.8/2 in 18-49, 4.six million audiences overall) and ''Law and Order: SVU'' (1.1/3 in 18-49, 3.7 million audiences overall). The net's new comedy pairing of ''Whitney'' and ''Are You There Chelsea'' bows in a few days. CW broadcast a set of ''The Secret Circle'' repeats, calculating b .3/one in 18-49 contributing to 900,000 audiences overall. ''One Tree Hill'' returns because of its final season on Wednesdays beginning in a few days. Preliminary 18-49 earnings for that evening: ABC, 3.3/9 CBS, 2./5 Univision, 1.5/4 Fox, 1./3 NBC, 1./2 CW, .3/1. As a whole audiences: ABC, 9.4 million CBS, 8.two million NBC, 3.8 million Univision, 3.5 million Fox, 2.7 million CW, .9 million. Contact Ron Kissell at ron.kissell@variety.com

Christopher Rosen's Favorite Movies of 2011: 'Harry Potter,' 'Midnight in Paris,' 'The Artist' and 'Moneyball'

The conclusion of year is all about one factor: lists! Ahead, the most popular 11 movies of 2011, from Harry Potter to Billy Beane. Apologies in advance just in case your fave didn't increase the risk for cut! 11. 'Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows Part 2' The Harry Potter films were more often than not disappointing, but both regions of the 'Deathly Hallows' were great movies rather than live-action book bloodstream pressure dimensions. Everything ended ... well. Also, R.I.P. Snape. 10. 'Midnight in Paris' Reasons 'Midnight in Paris' is hella charming: Owen Wilson's non-Woodsy Allen impersonation (very hard task searching for you, Will Ferrell, Kenneth Branagh, Josh Brolin, Scarlett Johansson), everything Corey Stoll states as Ernest Hemingway, Alison Pill's Zelda Fitzgerald, Marion Cotillard. Reasons it is not: Rachel McAdams. Charming wins! Easily among Woody's least heavy and several enjoyable films shortly. 9. 'War Horse' Be brave. 'War Equine,' Steven Spielberg's latest epic, complements a psychological ringer -- also to the advantage -- before suggesting that hope can spring forth within the pitch-dark places in the world. Using the youthful adult novel by Michael Morpurgo (and modified for your screen by Richard Curtis and Lee Hall), 'War Horse' is often as wordless as fellow Best Picture contender 'The Artist.' Such as the film is told from the objective of take a look at Joey the equine -- from his upbringing while using Narracot family (Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan and Emily Watson, offering up sturdy, 19 fifties-era performances) to his first encounters using the First World War (don't blink or you'll miss Tom Hiddleston since the kindest soldier ever). Unabashedly schmaltzy, 'War Horse' can be a throwback to an occasion when people reserve their versions for your greater good. This Season, that idea is quaint possibly 'War Horse' may help help help remind everyone that quaint isn't necessarily bad. 8. 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattoo' In the event you needed any proof about the value of the director inside the filmmaking process, cast your gaze toward 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattoo,' which David Fincher transforms in the stock thriller into something much more. Part of that's because of his success with stars. Since the titular inked female, Rooney Mara becomes an instantaneous star by getting an legendary performance as Lisbeth Salander. As her cohort, disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist, Difficulties provides needed stability, whilst getting more fun than he ever seems to inside the Jason Bourne films. Due to Fincher's expert technique, 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattoo' might be the mainstream movie of year ... for grownups. No small task, that certain provides round the hype. 7. 'Warrior' You almost certainly didn't see 'Warrior,' the shame since it was among 2011's most psychologically satisfying products of adult drama. The story of two estranged brothers and sisters (Joel Edgerton and Tom Sturdy) who meet inside the octagon-created ring from the ufc -- a log line which certainly provides ample opportunity for schmaltz -- 'Warrior' plays things getting a detailed-to-the-vest honesty that handful of 2011 releases even attempted. Edgerton and Sturdy are outstanding as two sides of the gold gold coin, while Nick Nolte, their alcoholic and formerly abusive father, steals his moments while using gusto from the guy gunning with an Oscar nomination. In the just world, Nolte, Sturdy and author/director Gavin O'Connor would get some good Academy recognition for 'Warrior' sadly, as 'Warrior' proves in content and reception, the earth isn't necessarily just. 6. '50/50' The best bromantic cancer comedy ever? Possibly! '50/50' can be a near impossible sell -- can you wanna spend two several hours watching a young guy endure his cancer diagnosis? -- but people who needed the chance were paid out getting an interesting and honest film about associations and the way people deal with illness. Demerits for Bryce Dallas Howard's one-note lady villain are balanced through the bonuses acquired by "Yellow Ledbetter" being selected since the film's closing music signal. 5. 'Young Adult' The non-feel-good movie of 2011. Written with welcome vitriol by Diablo Cody and directed, remarkably, without any cloying pretense by Jason Reitman, 'Young Adult' focuses on Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), a busted YA author who wallows in booze, Diet Coke, one-evening stands as well as the idea she's still destined for your greatness that her high-school years as Full Bee guaranteed. Mavis is self-destructive and mostly awful, however, you will sympathise along with her sometimes ultimately, who not harbor anticipation for "greater than this"? Well, maybe one person: Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt), a vintage high-school classmate of Mavis which has extended closed off his heart to just a his lot around. The bond that forms between Mavis and Matt comprises nearly all this anti-romcom, and hurtles 'Young Adult' toward its unwavering climax. This is often a movie that basically should not are actually managed to get was -- that Mavis, as around the face unlikable a lead character as has embellished the screen shortly, can be obtained -- is great news for audiences. Also, not so great, since 'Young Adult' can make you request some harsh queries about yourself during your search inside the mirror. 4. 'Beginners' Or, a sum happen if Wes Anderson and Woodsy Allen stood a baby? 'Beginners,' director Mike Mills's second feature following 'Thumbsucker,' might be the indie naval-gazer that people that don't like indie naval-gazers will enjoy. In regards to the changing relationship from the father and boy (Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor) following a elder guy arrives as homosexual at 75 (Mills based the film, simply, by themself existence), 'Beginners' squeezes a good deal into its 100 minute running-time: love, loss, commitment-fear, Woodsy Allen-like jazz music, together with your dog that talks in subtitles. A buffet of mish-mashed emotion, the film never strays off course, due to some deft sleight-of-hands by Mills and also the amazing cast. Plummer is becoming deserved Oscar buzz for his role since the recently out Hal, but it's Ewan McGregor who drives 'Beginners' along with his sad-sack lost-boy performance. 3. 'The Artist' It's a gimmick film, that's true. And within reach of a less-gifted creative group than director Michel Hazanvicius and stars Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo, 'The Artist' would most likely be an intolerable twee exercise that hipsters, real and faux, embrace as a bit of old-school awesome. Exactly why is Hazanavicius's quiet black-and-white-colored curio exceed that fray? At its core, 'The Artist' is among the evolution of society in the fee for your old guard. It's a poignant indication the very best dogs won't constantly be on top, but that doesn't mean we have to discard all of them with no care or concern. (Especially Uggie.) Every year of feel-good movies, 'The Artist' is amongst the feel-good-y it's also one of the better -- despite just what the growing cacophony of haters might have you believe. 2. 'Crazy Stupid Love' Certainly, the romantic comedy of year -- potentially years. Buoyed having a winning cast (Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore), 'Crazy Stupid Love' doesn't make an effort to reinvent the rom-com wheel rather, it revels inside the genre cliches, yet feels new by remembering that people desire to fall deeply deeply in love with figures. The final results are enjoyable beyond belief. Credit for 'Crazy Stupid Love' visits company company directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (for doing their utmost James L. Brooks impersonation), film author Serta Fogelman (for doing his best Cameron Crowe impersonation), together with the enjoyable cast. For Gosling completists, this might be his ultimate performance -- a charm offensive including many moments in the Gos, sans shirt. Hey, girl, indeed. 1. 'Moneyball' You actually can't call 'Moneyball' a home run. Not as it is this kind of hack pun connected using the premise of Bennett Miller's adaptation of Michael Lewis's seminal book about how precisely record analysis changed baseball forever, but because 'Moneyball' isn't about home runs. It comes down lower towards the small things. This is often a movie which includes a montage devoted to taking pitches for goodness sake. Oh, sure: there's a bit of on-area gallantry inside the third act, but even that's fleeting ultimately, it takes place in September through the standard season instead of October as well as the World Series. This can be baseball since it has not been described onscreen before: 'Moneyball' is full of small failures, small accomplishments, and doesn't conclude getting a trophy. Kaira Pitt can get the role of his existence as Billy Beane -- his golden hair and golden-er skin recalls a far more youthful Robert Redford -- nevertheless the real surprise in the cast is Jonah Hill as Pitt's onscreen apprentice. The most effective baseball movie ever, as well as the best movie of 2011 in 'Moneyball' terms, it's a lot better than a home run -- it'll access it base. [Photo: The brand new the new sony] The Most Effective Movies of 2011 The Most Effective Movies of 201150. 'Breaking Beginning཭. 'Transformers: Dark in the Moonཬ. 'The Tripཫ. 'Warriorཪ. 'Cave of Forgotten Dreamsཀྵ. 'The Iron Ladyཨ. 'We Bought a Zooཧ. 'Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocolས. 'Horrible Bossesཥ. 'Contagionཤ. 'Winnie the Poohལ. 'Win Winཡ. 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spyར. 'Hannaའ. 'Extremely Noisy and very Closeཟ. 'The Interruptersཞ. 'Crazy, Stupid, Loveཝ. 'The Guardཛྷ. 'Captain America: The Initial Avengerཛ. 'The Ides of Marchཚ. 'Beginnersཙ. 'Martha Marcy May Marleneམ. 'A Dangerous Methodབྷ. 'The Adventures of Tintinབ. 'Bill Cunningham NYཕ. 'We Need to Discuss Kevinཔ. 'Young Adultན. 'My Week With Marilynདྷ. 'Margin Callད. 'X-Males: Top Qualityཐ. 'Attack the Blockཏ. 'Shameཎ. 'Super 8ཌྷ. 'Melancholiaཌ. 'The Muppetsཋ. 'Rise in the Planet in the Apesཊ. 'Tree of Existenceཉ. 'Rango཈. 'The Helpཇ. 'Moneyballཆ. ཮/50Ə. 'DriveƎ. 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattooƍ. 'Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows, Part IIƌ. 'Midnight in ParisƋ. 'BridesmaidsƊ. 'The DescendantsƉ. 'War Equineƈ. 'The ArtistƇ. 'Hugo' See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook