April 20, 2006

With Laurence Fishburne attached to topline and James Marsh set to direct, thriller "Prey" is ready to start shooting in the fall.

Based on Jerrold Brown's script, the flick follows a man who sets out on a solo hunting expedition in the middle of winter and severely injures his leg. He is rescued by a mysterious trapper with secretly sinister intentions.

Rumors on the street say that Naomi Watts and beau Liev Schreiber's relationship is on the rocks. In fact, in somewhat a very different report, it is said that the couple was spotted shopping for engagement rings in Los Angeles.

Though, there have yet certain details on that matter. As an insider at top store Antiquarius tells America's In Touch magazine, Watts and Shreiber were shopping for $400,000 rings earlier this month. Elsewhere, another source tells tabloid the Star the twosome bought an engagement ring from celebrity jeweler Neil Lane, which is an elegant cushion-cut, 5-carat diamond sparkler worth $150,000.

What's new is that Walt Disney Pictures has acquired the rights to turn Alan Freedland and Alan R. Cohen's pitch, tentatively titled "Jack of All Trades", into big screen production.

The studio, furthermore, has set the film project for Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot to produce.

Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan will be joined by new cast, which happens to be Ed Harris, to star in the upcoming "Gone, Baby, Gone". It is a drama mystery flick, which is about to be directed by Ben Affleck.

Based on an adaptation of Dennis Lehane novel of the same title, "Gone, Baby Gone" is a story about a two detectives in search of a 4-year-old girl that has been kidnapped in Boston's underworld.

"The Condemned" will soon come up on cinema as World Wrestling Entertainment and Lionsgate have reached a deal over its production. And so, the studio is about to start shooting the flick May 15 in Australia.

Of drama genre, "The Condemned" will star Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vinnie Jones, with Scott Wiper in hand directing. Per Variety, Austin is set to play a man on death row in a corrupt Central American prison. He's "purchased" by a wealthy TV producer, who pits him and nine other condemned men in a battle to the death.

The Lee Tamahori's science fiction action thriller direction entitled "Next" has begun filming in Los Angeles. The flick is slated for a 2007 domestic release.

"Next", stars Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, and Jessica Biel, tells the story of a man who can see into the future and change it any way that he wants. As he tries to avoid capture by a government organization, he must win the love of a woman who he learns will be the mother of his child.

Pearl Jam and Tom Petty have agreed to add Milwaukee dates to their summer run. The two music acts have set a June 29-30 stand in Milwaukee at Summerfest, an annual 11-day event also featuring Nine Inch Nails and Mary J. Blige among others.

As for members of Pearl Jam's Ten Club fan organization, they can get a special presale for the Marcus Amphitheater event beginning April 19th, 2006 at $203 for a pair of tickets for each night.

It is sad to say that veteran pop singer Whitney Houston has gone into rehab again. This is the second time that the star checks into a rehab to kick her crack cocaine addiction.

Whitney's sister-in-law Tina Brown revealed husband Bobby Brown had no idea she was having treatment when he returned home from tour in Georgia.

"Mamma Mia!", the musical inspired by ABBA disco-pop hits, is heading for the big screen. Getting involved in the highly anticipated project is Tom Hanks who, through his production company Playtone, has inked a deal with Littlestar Services Limited, the company run by the hit show's producer, Judy Craymer, and ABBA songwriters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus.

All of the persons are now in discussion over the project with Universal Pictures to finance and distribute. In the meantime, Judy has been slated to produce alongside Gary Goetzman, and Catherine Johnson is penning the screenplay. Details on "Mamma Mia!" are being kept under wrap, but it is said that the flick is expected to be released in late 2007.

Hollywood film star Michael Douglas has been chosen to receive an honorary degree from Scotland's St. Andrews University.

The Oscar-winning actor is set to receive a Doctor of Laws degree in June for his outstanding contribution to British film, Brian Lang, the university's principal and vice-chancellor, said.

Having their album "Me and My Gang" sold nearly 345,000 copies in the week ended April 16, country trio Rascal Flatts hold strong their No. 1 position on the Billboard 200, to be on top of the pop album chart for a second week Wednesday April 19th, 2006. After such tough challenge, Keith Urban's "White Trash With Money" finally only secures the 2nd place on the chart with about 330,000 units.

At No. 3 is "Now That's What I Call Music! 21" by various artists which is sold 293,000 copies, followed by the "High School Musical" soundtrack which holds at No. 4 for a second week with 256,000. Rapper T.I.'s "King", in the meantime, slips two to No. 5 with 136,000, ahead of LL Cool J's "Todd Smith" at No. 6, sold 116,000 copies and Tim McGraw's "Greatest Hits Vol. 2 -- Reflected" at No. 7.

Britain's best-selling newspaper The Sun apologized Wednesday to Teri Hatcher over a story that claimed she had sex with men in a van outside her home. The tabloid acknowledged the article, which it published last August, as "totally incorrect" and apologized to Hatcher "for the embarrassment caused."

Hatcher's legal firm, Schillings, mentioned the newspaper had agreed to pay undisclosed damages and the actress' legal cost. In related news, it is also reported that celebrity magazine Heat also had agreed to apologize for printing the same allegations in August.

Grammy-winning singer Mariah Carey has teamed up with Pepsi to write and produce 20 original voice and music ringtones for a promotion by the soft-drink giant. The multiplatinum-selling singer, moreover, will also star in a national commercial promoting the Pepsi Cool Tones & Motorola Phones partnership as part of her endorsement deal.

Speaking on the partnership, Carey said "I had a lot of fun with this project. It was a great creative outlet because musically I could do things here that I would never think to do for one of my albums. This was a great idea by Pepsi, and I'm happy to be a part of it." As part of the deal, Carey in addition will kick off her summer tour with a Pepsi Smash concert at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.