December 08, 2006

Picking up a date exactly a year to the film's scheduled worldwide release on December 7, 2007, New Line Cinema through its President and COO of Worldwide Distribution and Marketing Rolf Mittweg finally launched the official site of its fantasy epic project "The Golden Compass."

"'The Golden Compass' already has a remarkable following thanks to the success of the books and there's a great deal of anticipation for this film," so Mittweg said. "We're excited to share some of these first images from the production with fans all over the world, and to introduce this story to people who may not be familiar with the books."

It doesn't take long time for Joel Madden to get romantically involved with another woman since he broke up with Hilary Duff couple days ago. Rumor has it that the Good Charlotte rocker is dating socialite Nicole Richie.

The singer and Richie were spotted out at Hollywood hot spot Teddy's at the Roosevelt Hotel on December 2, less than a week after Madden confirmed he split with Duff. Per US Weekly, it is reported that the pair was spotted holding hands and dancing just a little too closely.

Though no doubt busy in preparing "Rambo IV: In the Serpent's Eye" for production, Sylvester Stallone apparently still has a vacant spot in his hectic schedule for another big screen role.

Latino Review has reported that the action star is joining Michael Madsen and Tim Roth to highlight The Weinstein Co.'s action-packed adventure drama "Inglourious Basterds" which will be Quentin Tarantino's next directorial project after "Grindhouse."

American actress and former fashion model Rebecca Romijn is the latest addition to the cast of ABC's series "Ugly Betty".

There, in the most watched new comedy of the season, Romijn will play the role of the mysterious woman behind the mask who's been plotting with Vanessa Williams' Wilhelmina Slater to take over Mode Magazine from Bradford Meade.

Continues their collaboration, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment are setting up a rom-com feature titled "Prodigal Son", Variety has learned.

With Brian Grazer to produce, the project concerns a workaholic single woman being pushed by her mother to date a handsome, kind and caring carpenter who turns out to be Jesus Christ in his return for Armageddon. Gigi Levangie Grazer has already been tapped to pen the script alongside Mimi James.

Sinking deeper into acting field, Andre Benjamin has snatched one more acting stint to be added in his growing resume. The OutKast member is reported to have signed on to take part in "Semi-Pro", New Line Cinema's comedy set in the world of 1970s pro basketball.

Lining up with Woody Harrelson and Will Ferrell in the cast, Benjamin is likely to play a self-styled ladies' man who is the best player on the fictional Flint Michigan Tropics team while Harrelson will portray his fellow athlete and Ferrell the team's owner-coach-player.

Their breaking up has become talk of the town. Nevertheless, Lance Bass refused to admit that he and partner Reichen Lehmkuhl have broken up, insisted they are working on their relationship.

Meaning? Both of them are giving their love a second chance.

Eyeing chance to work together once again after their collaborative directorial effort in "Little Miss Sunshine", Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris are engaged in negotiations with Warner Independent Pictures to helm its new comedy project of "The Abstinence Teacher", Variety has revealed.

Based on Tom Perrotta's upcoming novel of the same title due out next year via St. Martin's Press imprint, the picture centers on a divorced sex ed teacher in middle America who is at odds with the town's conservative groups while finding herself falling for her daughter's born-again soccer coach.

Katharine McPhee has been hard work at her debut album and the result will be coming out January 30th next year.

The LP, tentatively titled "Never Saw It Comin'," will be released via RCA Records. The set, reportedly, features production from Timbaland associate Nate Hills and some contributions from Babyface, Kara Dioguardi and Ryan Leslie just to name a few.

Joining forces together, Hollywood names consisting of Rosamund Pike, Tom Wilkinson, Alan Cumming, Richard E. Grant, and Timothy Spall have all agreed to lend their voices to "Jackboots on Whitehall", a WWII spoof animated comedy of Britain's Swipe Films production.

Also lining up the U.K voice cast like Richard O'Brien and Pam Ferris, the project gives an alternative story of WWII with presenting what would have happened had Germany invaded Britain but were then defeated by the Scots at the border with England.

Kimberly Roads of country music band Little Big Town has tied the knot with longtime friend, Stephen Schlapman, on November 28. Roads' rep, Tracy McGlocklin, confirmed the good news to People.

"It was small and intimate and precious," Tracy said. "Bride, groom, and all the guests were barefoot."

Britney Spears all-night partying makes the gossip pages everyday. To make matters worse, that bad habit has also raised the concern of the LA Department of Children and Family Services who is questioning on her parenting skill.

Spears, mother to 15-month-old Sean Preston and 3-month-old Jayden James, has spent her time partying with new best pal Paris Hilton since she filed for divorce from Kevin Federline. This then raises speculation on her not providing proper care to her two children.

Boosting up the high-profile status of "Sweeney Todd", English thespian Alan Rickman is coming onboard to round out the cast of the musical drama thriller, Screen Daily has reported.

The latest actor added to the lineup after Helena Bonham Carter, Rickman is billed to portray Judge Turpin while Carter will play Mrs. Lovett and Johnny Depp the titular character. Filming is scheduled to begin early in 2007 for release late that year with Tim Burton directing for Paramount Pictures to distribute.

That Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z are planning a secret wedding, that's not right.

A spokesman for Beyonce has on Thursday Dec 7th slammed report surfacing in gossip columns and the Internet this week that his client and her boyfriend planned to quietly tie the knot this coming weekend.

Mel B set the record straight on who's the father of her unborn child. Talk is heating up on that matter since the former Spice Girl's ex-boyfriend Eddie Murphy first hinted that he was unsure of the baby's paternity during a promotional appearance for "Dreamgirls" on a Dutch TV show.

Being asked on Mel's pregnancy Murphy, who is now dating Babyface's ex-wife Tracey Edmonds, told the interviewer not to "jump to conclusions", saying "You're being presumptuous, because we're not together anymore, and we don't know whose child that is until it comes out and has a blood test."

Finally he is in. Striking a deal with Dimension Films, Thomas Jane has delightfully confirmed that he is taking a starring role in "The Mist", a horror feature set to be directed by "The Green Mile" helmer Frank Darabont.

"I have an e-mail from Frank right here," the actor told UGO this week. "He says that he just heard my deal closed today and he's happy and looking forward to working with me."

Staying faithful to horror/thriller genre, Eliza Dushku is set to come up with another big screen project of this sort titled "The Alphabet Killer", which will reunite her with Rob Schmidt after their collaboration in "Wrong Turn."

Based on the real-life Alphabet Murders from Rochester, New York in the seventies, the flick will see Dushku play a police investigator named Megan who has to deal with her mental health as she attempts to solve a series of murders happening in her town.

It's over for Akon. The Grammy Award nominated Hip-Hop and R&B singer no longer rules the US singles chart as Beyonce Knowles' "Irreplaceable" takes away the top spot from him in the week ended Thursday Dec 7th.

The success of the song to reign the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 marks Beyonce's fourth solo No. 1, while also makes her the second artist to have two No. 1 hits in 2006, placing him just behind Justin Timberlake who is the 1st with "SexyBack" and "My Love." Beyonce's other single that makes the top spot on the chart is "Check On It" which ruled for five weeks in February-March.

He is only 17. But Daniel Radcliffe is wealthy, very wealthy indeed compared to those of his age. Believe it or not, the young actor has become the youngest person to make this year's prestigious Sunday Times Rich List.

In the annual list, conducted by the respected British newspaper, Radcliffe is placed 8th with an amazed personal fortune of £14 million. What a large amount. His earnings are reportedly channeled into Gilmore Jacobs, a company set up for him by his parents.

Mary J. Blige's singing career is reaching its peak, thanks to her latest music effort "The Breakthrough". The set, not only brought the singer to win big at this year Billboard Music Awards, but also scores her eight nominations for the 49th annual Grammy Awards.

The songbird vies for the categories of Best R&B Album for "The Breakthrough", Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and Best R&B Song all for "Be Without You", Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for "One" which she recorded with U2, Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals for duet with Jamie Foxx on "Love Changes", and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "I Found My Everything" featuring Raphael Saadiq.

No doubt adding more hype to "Vivaldi", renowned French actor Gerard Depardieu is reported to have smoothly joined the cast of the biopic project, which is going to be developed under indie company Mechaniks.

Coming onboard alongside Joseph Fiennes, Jacqueline Bisset, and Zuleikha Robinson among others, Depardieu will be billed to play a wealthy nobleman described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing." Meanwhile, Fiennes has already been plotted to portray the titular character, best known for his composition "The Four Seasons."

Petra Nemcova has sparked rumors on her going to marry boyfriend James Blunt after she was spotted out wearing a ring on her engagement finger.

The Czechoslovakian born model was seen with the diamond ring in New York, while filming an advert for Hewlett-Packard.

She's a music icon, children's book author, and now fashion designer. Pop singer Madonna has just inked a deal with Swedish fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz to design a range of clothes and accessories that will be launched in March 2007.

Madonna has teamed up with Margareta van den Bosch, H&M's head of design, to create the "M by Madonna" women's wear collection, the company confirmed Thursday Dec 7th.

Now that he has completed his stint in the Broadway musical "Chicago", Usher is turning his attention to music, again. The R&B/pop singer is hard working on a new LP, a follow up to his 2004's "Confessions".

"I feel it's about time for me to come out with an album," the singer said. "I'm not extremely enthused about where music has gone. I say that coming from listening to artists like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Michael Jackson, those great artists and iconic musicians. I feel music is at a standstill."

Noted for his consistency in putting social and political issues into his directorial works, Spike Lee is about to generate a new one in the vein. Variety has learned that the lauded filmmaker is joining forces with Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment to develop "L.A. Riots", a drama framed around the racially charged April 1992 riots.

Already had John Ridley on his side to pen the screenplay and Brian Grazer to produce, Lee is determined to have the script done as soon as possible so he can bring it in front of president Donna Langley before business closes for the holidays. If the goal is reached, it is likely for him to work on the project as his next feature before shifting to helm "Inside Man" sequel.