NEWS
courtesy of
Hollywood Reporter

Fox-O'Brien talks still in preliminary stages
While talks between Fox and Conan O'Brien's camp are still in the early stages, the former "Tonight Show" host is entertaining offers from other suitors.

'24' showrunner sets next project
"24" executive producer/showrunner Howard Gordon will co-write the American version of the Israeli format "Prisoners of War" for 20th TV.

WWE, hosts reap WrestleMania's rewards
While WrestleMania is not the enormous moneymaker the Super Bowl is, the annual main event in pro wrestling has brought WWE and its host city good returns in recent years.

CBS orders chef competition series
CBS is getting into the culinary reality genre with a new show that pits professional chefs against ordinary home cooks.

'Brotherhood' actor lands 'Ride-Along'
After a lengthy search, "Brotherhood" star Jason Clarke has been tapped as the lead in "Ride-Along," Shawn Ryan's cop drama pilot for Fox.

Miranda Cosgrove signs on for more 'iCarly'
EXCLUSIVE: Miranda Cosgrove, the star of Nickelodeon's flagship comedy "iCarly," has inked a new pact with the network that's said to be in the low- to mid-seven-figure range.

Josh Cooke cast as male lead in comedy pilot
Josh Cooke has been tapped as the male lead in ABC's untitled Shana Goldberg-Meehan comedy pilot.

SXSW film fest faces challenge
Is the SXSW film festival getting too big for its boots? There are worse problems for a fest to have than excessive demand. It means programmers are making strong choices, the venues are attractive and the regional vibe welcoming.

Two Discovery development heads exiting
Discovery's two West Coast development heads are leaving the company, but the network has expansion plans for the office.

ShoWest floor filled with tech treats
The Coca-Cola booth on ShoWest's trade show floor always hands out big shopping-sized bags, which theater operators checking out the displays like to stuff with candy and popcorn samples. But the recession has had some obvious effect on concession companies.

'Precious' overtakes sales chart
Lionsgate's "Precious," the double-Oscar winner about an illiterate Harlem teen who turns her life around, debuted at No. 1 on the Nielsen VideoScan First Alert sales chart.

'Glee's' Jayma Mays cast in 'Smurfs'
Jayma Mays, one of the stars of "Glee," will star as the female human lead in "The Smurfs," Sony's live-action/animated hybrid being directed by Raja Gosnell.

Summit picks up 'Puzzle Palace'
While it may seem that Summit is all about vampires and witches, the upstart company is going into teen thriller mode, picking up "Puzzle Palace" from newbie writer David Guggenheim. Temple Hill, the production shingle behind "Twilight," is attached to produce.

Blockbuster considers bankruptcy protection
Video-rental chain Blockbuster Inc. said on Tuesday for the first time it may need to file for bankruptcy protection after years of struggling to lessen its debt load.

Fox orders more 'Kitchen Nightmares'
Fox has ordered a third season of Gordon Ramsay's reality show "Kitchen Nightmares."

Ad spending fell 12% in 2009
It's official: 2009 was a lousy year for the ad industry.

Nathan Fillion, 'Castle' crew hold court
It was all about the novelist-turned-"detective" Richard Castle at Tuesday night's Paley Center for Media event in Beverly Hills honoring ABC's sophomore series "Castle."

Studios, cable companies team for VOD
A slew of Hollywood studios and cable companies are teaming up for a $30 million advertising campaign over the coming months to further promote awareness of movies available on cable VOD.

'Everwood' actor set for three films
Gregory Smith, best known for starring in "Everwood," has booked three movie roles.

Goran Visnjic among latest pilot castings
"ER" alum Goran Visnjic is in negotiations to star opposite Katee Sackhoff in the ABC drama pilot "Boston's Finest," which also has cast Nia Long.

Marco Sanchez to recur on 'NCIS'
Marco Sanchez has joined CBS' top drama "NCIS" as a recurring.

Tracy Morgan returns as 'Scare Tactics' host
Syfy is expanding its reality slate with new shows, a new night and the return of Tracy Morgan to the network.

Exhibitors get 3D education
Interest in 3D cinema in the wake of boxoffice tsunami "Avatar" is sending exhibitors back to the classroom.

Magnet nabs 'Monsters'
Within hours after "Monsters" premiered at the SXSW Film Festival, Magnet Releasing scooped up distribution rights for the U.S. and Mexico.

Exiting MPAA chief reflects on the film industry
In his final state of the industry address at ShoWest, outgoing MPAA chief Dan Glickman on Tuesday lauded entertainment-industry accomplishments and railed against movie piracy.

Tiger Woods to play Masters next month
After a five-month hiatus, Tiger Woods will return to golf to play the Masters Tournament next month.

Charlie Sheen returns to work
Charlie Sheen has returned to the set of "Two and a Half Men."

HBO's 'Pacific' off to a fair start
HBO's "The Pacific" got off to a fair start on Sunday evening, delivering 3.1 million viewers.

Hallmark acquires Martha Stewart series
The Hallmark Channel and Martha Stewart are expanding and deepening their relationship.

'Avatar' DVD, Blu-ray release date set
Fox Home Entertainment said Tuesday that blockbuster will hit DVD and Blu-ray Disc in 2D versions on April 22.

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