January 25, 2007

Taking notice on interesting topic, Universal Pictures has purchased the rights to a New York Times article about a group of soccer-playing refugee kids to develop it into a big screen feature, The Hollywood Reported has learned.

The rights to the article, written by Warren St. John and published last Sunday, January 21, were bought along with the life rights to the soccer team's coach, a Jordan-born woman named Luma Mufleh. It is reported that the deal was worth between $2 million and $3 million and includes funds for a small soccer stadium plus the establishment of a foundation that will benefit the refugees.

Striving for more high-profile role, David Wenham has given positive sign to take starring part in "Australia", the pre-World War II drama of 20th Century Fox production, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

With this inclusion, the project thus marks the reunion of Wenham and his fellow Australian thespians, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, whom he previously collaborated with in "Moulin Rouge!" and "Van Helsing", respectively.

Fresh from his Oscar nomination in Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role category, Eddie Murphy is reported to be engaged in talks for a leading role in a comedic feature of Paramount Pictures production entitled "NowhereLand."

If everything turns out as expected, the funnyman will likely play a successful financial executive who suddenly loses his confidence and so, finds his career going down miserably yet later unexpectedly gets the answers to his problems within his daughter's imaginary world.

In the heat of Hollywood's ups and downs romances, rumors are heating up that it looks like it is all over between Derek Jeter and girlfriend Jessica Biel.

Speculation on their breaking up comes to the surface soon as Biel was reported flirting with Cameron Diaz's ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake last week. Elsewhere, Jeter was reportedly "flirting madly" with Gabrielle Union while he was at Atlantis in the Bahamas for the Michael Jordan Golf Tournament.

Prepare for something bright coming from Chris McGurk's Overture Films. Yes, the studio has just obtained the U.S. rights to "Ferris Wheel", the ensemble drama feature which is a production of Denver and Delilah Productions owned by Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron who also stars in the picture.

A feature directorial debut of digital F/X whiz Bill Maher, the flick concerns a girl named Tara who establishes a bond with her uncle after getting abandoned by her own mother. Accompanying Theron in the cast are AnnaSophia Robb, Nick Stahl, Dennis Hopper, and Woody Harrelson, among others.

Fans, prepare yourself for the return of Van Halen to the road. Talk is heating up out there that original frontman David Lee Roth is about to return to the band for the first time in more than 20 years.

By the time the lineup complete, Van Halen will sign a contract to produce a 40-date amphitheatre tour for tour promoter Live Nation this summer.

Enlarging his film resume, "Friday Night Lights" star Derek Luke has reached a deal to take starring part in MGM's "Lions for Lambs", Variety has reported.

Joining the likes of Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep, Robert Redford, and Michael Pena in the cast, Luke will portray one of two soldiers who are cut off from their platoon in unfriendly territory in Afghanistan. It is said that his character will be the catalyst of three interconnected storylines that build the picture.

Seems Tim Hill does not have to wait long enough to land his next directing stint after last year's "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties." Variety has learned that the guy is currently engaged in negotiations to helm CG-live action hybrid flick "Alvin and the Chipmunks" for Fox 2000 and Fox Animation.

Developed under Fox since 2004, the project is based on the 1960s cartoon series "The Alvin Show" which tells about a music group of chipmunks comprised of Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker; Simon, the tall bespectacled intellectual; and Theodore, the chubby, impressionable sweetheart.

Bravo America. The country shows its hostility by welcoming the wax figures of David Beckham and Victoria Adams even before the couple moves there.

Waxen figures of Beckham and Victoria were unveiled at the Madame Tussauds New York wax museum on Tuesday January 23rd. The figurines of the pair, welcomed to the US by a model of President George Bush who holds a sign reading: "Welcome to America", will be on display at the Times Square Tussaud's for two weeks.

In the wake of his divorce to wife Dita Von Teese, Marilyn Manson pops new announcement. The shock rocker already confirmed in a posting on his official Web site that he's almost done with his new solo album.

The highly anticipated LP, titled "Eat Me, Drink Me", is set to come out this spring. The set, which will be the singer's first album in three years since "The Golden Age of Grotesque", is believed to be a reference to "Alice In Wonderland".

Making a follow-up to its acquisition on "Teeth" and "Grace Is Gone", The Weinstein Company (TWC) has joined forces with First Look Studios to successfully get one more Sundance Film Fest's participant, a romantic comedy feature entitled "Dedication", to be distributed under its banner.

Originally a production of Plum Pictures, the flick will see TWC and First Look partner on the worldwide release of the film both for domestic and international market with the former taking the lead on the U.S theatrical campaign on behalf of the two companies. Announcing the move were TWC co-chairman Harvey Weinstein, First Look Studios CEO Henry Winterstern, also Plum Pictures partners Celine Rattray, Galt Niederhoffer and Daniela Taplin Lundberg.

California-based company Beverage Concepts provokes controversy with their plan to release a non-alcoholic "Liquid Experience" drinks, which is named after Jimi Hendrix's breakthrough 1967 album, "Are You Experienced?"

It is okay with the product, but the concept obviously makes the guitarist's fans upset. Despite the fact that Beverage Concepts has said to honor Hendrix's memory by donating some of the profit from the Liquid Experience to an unidentified music education foundation, still it makes fans unhappy.

Still puts priority on her career in film industry rather than that in music scene, Queen Latifah is on the brink to add her next stint in her acting resume. Production Weekly has reported that the "Chicago" star is currently in talks to have a role in "Mad Money", the remake of the 2001 British TV-movie feature "Hot Money."

If a deal is signed, Latifah will likely to play Liz, one of the janitors on a night cleaning crew at a Federal Reserve bank in which Diane Keaton's character, Bridget, also works. The film itself will follow the latter one as she figures out a creative way to get money in her effort to pay debts and avoid losing her house.

In another dire week at music retail, DAUGHTRY, the band formed by "American Idol" contestant Chris Daughtry, successfully took the top spot of the Billboard 200 with their eponymous album sold another 65,000 copies in the United States in the week ended January 21st. This is the first time ever that the set hits the No. 1 spot in its ninth week on chart before previously debuted at No. 2 in November and not been lower than No. 11 since.

Coming next is Sony's "Dreamgirls" soundtrack, which secured the No. 2 spot, sold 130 copies less than that of DAUGHTRY's. Disney's "Jump In!" soundtrack followed close at No. 3 sold 57,000 copies, just one place ahead of Corinne Bailey Rae's self-titled Capitol debut at No. 4 on sales boost to 55,000. Akon's "Konvicted" slid 2-5 with sales declined to 52,000.

Which one is correct? Kevin Federline was never meant to be success or entertainment industry is just not fit him? Either one, the self-called aspiring rapper has proven that he was never born to be a star.

After his failed rap career, the man is giving hand at doing ads. Sad to say that this time around he also doesn't make it, as a leading restaurant association has called for the cancellation of a TV commercial featuring him as a failed rap star working in a fast-food eatery.

This probably is quite a big reunion for Kate Bosworth as she openly told Womens' Wear Daily in an interview at Paris Fashion Week that she is about to take part in "21" for Columbia Pictures.

Not only finds herself to once again appear opposite Kevin Spacey onscreen after their last collaboration in "Superman Returns", the beauty also will reunite with Robert Luketic, the project's helmer, who previously directed her in "Win a Date with Tad Hamilton."

To everyone shock, it is reported that R&B singer Brandy was involved in a fatal, four-car accident on a Los Angeles freeway last month which sadly left a 38-year-old woman dead.

Police said on Wednesday January 24th the accident happened at 10:30 AM on December 30, 2006 on the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles. It is reported that Brandy was driving her 2007 Land Rover at 65 mph and did not notice that cars in front of her had slowed considerably that her vehicle then struck a 2005 Toyota.

Maybe they think they have had enough from their five years marriage. Thus, it comes to no surprise at all that Anne Heche and her husband Coleman Laffoon decided to go separate ways.

A spokeswoman for the actress confirmed the report Wednesday January 24th. "They have requested that they be allowed their privacy at this time," publicist Lisa Kasteler said in a statement.

Set to build a great onscreen chemistry, Maria Bello and Ray Liotta have both given agreement to highlight "Downloading Nancy", a thriller flick about the fatal attraction occurring between a woman and the hit man she hired to kill her.

Here Bello is billed as an unhappy wife Nancy who wants to end her own life in a bizarre way by hiring a man she meets on the Internet to kill her, played by Liotta. Things get more complicated when the two unexpectedly form a relationship, which makes it difficult for the man to finish the task.

Just days after rumors on their break up came to the surface, talk is heating up on Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams have secretly tied the knot.

Ledger and Williams, the parents of 14-month-old daughter Matilda, applied for a marriage license in Brooklyn last November and the actor has now been spotted wearing a wedding ring.