March 13, 2007

Still hot from his role in epic action movie "300", Gerard Butler now is shifting to modern action flick. Variety reveals that the actor has been picked up to be the leadstar in "Escape from New York", a remake of John Carpenter's 1981 work of the same name.

Assuming the role originated by Kurt Russell, Butler will portray the one-eyed convict Snake Plissken who gets assigned to breach into the inescapable maximum security prison formerly known as Manhattan to liberate the U.S. president. Script will be worked by "Black Hawk Down" scribe Ken Nolan with Neal Moritz being attached as the producer.

With merely one album in hand, Paris Hilton's music career is going to be slightly stumbled. Believed to be a 'lost interest' case, Paris' label, Warner Bros. Records decided to drop the artist from the recording house.

Apparently her overnight musical success that was won by her first album "Paris" (2006) was not enough to maintain both parties' mutual interest. It is reported that Paris will not work for the second album under the Warner Music. A source told Daily Star, "Paris will be dropped in a matter of moments. She's totally lost interest in the project and in all honesty, her label feel very much the same."

The little town of Who-ville sure gets merrier by now with the arrival of nine talents namely Isla Fisher, Jaime Pressly, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Dan Fogler, Carol Burnett, Amy Poehler, Dane Cook, and Jonah Hill.

Yes, all the names have joyously been included in the voice cast of 20th Century Fox Animation's CG toon "Horton Hears a Who", produced by "Ice Age" makers Blue Sky Studios, joining the likes of Jim Carrey and Steve Carell, who are set to voice the titular character and the Mayor of Who-ville, respectively.

The annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction has taken place in Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on March 12. The names inducted in the ceremony are R.E.M., Van Halen, Patti Smith, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five and also The Ronettes.

Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder attended the event to be the inductor of R.E.M. He honored the band saying that while Pearl Jam was getting stardom, R.E.M. became like a big brother to the band. "R.E.M.'s music is truly all-encompassing. They used every color on the pallette, they invented colors on their own and they put up this huge mural of music and sound and emotion."

Famous names delightfully keep coming for "Terra" as Luke Wilson, Amanda Peet, Dennis Quaid, Justin Long, and Chris Evans have all reached agreement to lend their voices to the CG animated flick.

A production of Snoot Entertainment, pic is based on the 2003 short film of the same title which depicts the interplanetary conflict between the inhabitants of a peaceful world and the human warriors who want to colonize it. The production, launched a year ago, is reportedly slated for completion in the fourth quarter.

Not taking time to relax after filming "Gray Matters", Heather Graham is reported to have nabbed her next big screen role in romantic comedy "Buy, Borrow or Steal" and be expected to land her feet in Belfast, Ireland by this week to begin filming the project.

Poised as the leadstar, the beauty is likely to play a woman who discovers that she is about to have an early menopause and so, has only two weeks to get herself pregnant. As her boyfriend refuses to have a baby, she thus embarks on a search to find a man who is willing to help her continue the family line.

Building a promising ensemble cast, Shannyn Sossamon, Lara Flynn Boyle, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Mark Webber, and Tony Plana have all come onboard to join Victor Rasuk and Kerry Washington in urban drug-addiction drama "Life Is Hot in Cracktown", The Hollywood Reporter has revealed.

Based on Buddy Giovinazzo's eponymous 1993 collection of short stories, the project intertwines several unsettling tales of people in a neighborhood ravaged by crack cocaine. The author himself has been confirmed to both write and direct with Larry Rattner and William Fisch producing for Ithaka Entertainment.

Speculations on him keep playing a major role in "I, Lucifer" have indeed circulated heavily during couple past months, but all of those seem to be proven true in turn. Yes, Daniel Craig has reportedly been positive to land deals for the starring part as the titular character in the fantasy comedy flick, a production of Bright Angel film studio.

"The role really appealed to Daniel, who loves artistic challenges," a source remarked. "He doesn't want to be typecast just as an action hero after the success of 'Casino Royale.'"

It appears that American rock band Kiss has inspired Fall Out Boy to make merchandise containing their blood. The band will give out 'special' edition posters that are printed with ink mixed with the members' blood to lucky winners.

Seemingly gross, it is not easy to get these posters. For each city visited during the band's Honda Civic Tour, there will only be one person to receive the poster and still, through a contest. "We're going to be running a series of contests. One is an ode to Kiss," said bassist Pete Wentz "My brother is going to make 45 prints based on images from our record. Each will be hand-numbered and individually made. In addition, all prints will have a mixture of each member of the band's blood in it."

Christina Applegate has secured another TV role as she's been tapped to star in ABC's "Sam I Am."

A comedy pilot, "Sam I Am" centers on a woman (Applegate) who wakes up from a coma with amnesia and has to rediscover her life.

It's been five months since she gave birth to her first child that Linda Evangelista is now reported pregnant again.

The supermodel who refused to reveal the father of her son, Augustin James, has been dating billionaire Peter Morton for six months and friends claim she is expecting his baby.

Speculation on their reconciliation sparked soon as Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee were spotted kissing.

The former husband-and-wife being photographed kissing after having lunch with sons Brandon Thomas and Dylan Jagger at trendy celebrity restaurant The Ivy.

Rumors circulating on the reunion of Spice Girls have been going out too long as each of its former members gave different speculations at individual times. This time, the reunion is made official by the one member who kept denying it since the very beginning, Melanie C.

After a long-term persuasion from the band's manager Simon Fuller, Mel C finally agrees to reform and perform with the group again. Before her, Fuller has talked Geri Halliwell and Emma Bunton into this reunion. The other two Melanie Brown and Victoria Adams are also reported in support of this. Fuller said in a statement, "All of the girls are up for it. The reunion will definitely happen."

Jack White of The White Stripes will have one more addition into his clan. The rocker and his wife, Karen Elson are expecting their second child together.

The happy couple announced the news and is said to be "thrilled" over it. Other details concerning the pregnancy were being kept under warp.

Back in November, news spread that Lindsay Lohan would lead the cast of "The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond", but now it seems that the task will probably be entrusted in the hands of Bryce Dallas Howard instead for Production Weekly has claimed that the red-haired beauty is currently involved in negotiations to replace the younger actress in the project.

Based on the Tennessee Williams previously undiscovered screenplay, the flick revolves around Fisher Willow, the disliked 1920s Memphis debutante daughter of a plantation owner, who is caught up in a romance with Jimmy, the down-and-out-yet-handsome son of an alcoholic father. Names confirmed to star so far include Chris Evans, Ellen Burstyn, David Strathairn, and Ann-Margret as Willow's spinster aunt.

For two weeks in a row, Take That's "Shine" holds the position of #1 in UK singles chart. At the same time the band's second single "Patience" is still holding on its right in Top 40 at No. 20, while the album "Beautiful World" also reigns #3 in UK album chart.

Following behind "Shine" is Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape" featuring Akon. In its seventh week, it sat at #3 last week. Kaiser Chiefs' "Ruby" that falls 2-3 this week then fills in the spot. Triggered by the release of CD single version last week, Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around Comes Around" moves up 10-4 this week.

Snoop Dogg was held by Swedish police overnight Monday March 12th on suspicion of being under the influence of narcotics.

The rap star was arrested in a car in central Stockholm after performing at a concert with P. Diddy at the city's Globe arena. He was heading to a party after a concert in the Swedish capital when police stopped the car he was riding in around 1:30 a.m. (12:30 GMT), said Stockholm police.

Now there is no doubt that "Tropic Thunder" will be a Frat Pack movie with the coming of Jack Black as the funnyman has delightfully boarded the DreamWorks' comedic project to play a role opposite Ben Stiller.

Billed as one of the five actors stuck in a real war-like situation when filming a big-budget war flick, Black will portray an overweight gross-out comedian named Jeff "Fats" Portnoy who is forced to kick his drug addiction during the shooting. Other two will be played by Robert Downey Jr. and Jay Baruchel with Stiller playing a character named Speedman.

No stranger to scandal and controversy herself, Kristy Swanson is being tipped to play Anna Nicole Smith on "Law and Order: Criminal Intent."

The "Criminal Intent" version of Anna Nicole's life and death is coming this May. So you better get ready. What's more, it is also rumored that comedic actor Jon Lovitz will play the former Playboy Playmate's manager, lawyer and companion Howard K. Stern.

Setting a more real theme in new album "Buck The World", Young Buck employs some of his life experience to be slipped in his lyrics. The rapper's ultimate goal in making this record are to keep it real and to re-ignite the dying flame of hip-hop sales.

Working under the label run by 50 Cents, G-Unit Records, Young Buck expressed his concern over the declining sales of hip-hop records yet he refused to be let down by this. He said that it just 'fuels his fire'. As a start, his new album which is due March 27 has released its first single "Get Buck" and it immediately entered #55 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Busta Rhymes was banned from a Manhattan movie set Saturday March 10th by police. The rap star was actually slated to co-star in the crime thriller "Order of Redemption" with Academy Award nominee Tom Berenger that began shooting over the weekend in New York and New Jersey.

The reason behind is public safety concerns. The Associated Press speculated the banning for Rhymes from the set might stem from the star's reluctance to cooperate with NYPD after his bodyguard was shot and killed on the set of the video shoot for his "Touch It (Remix)" single. Nevertheless, an NYPD spokesperson denied it, claiming the request came from the mayor's office and not the NYPD.

Well, it would be refreshing to see Naomi Watts go for a lighter side after her recent involvements in thriller and drama genre. Variety has reported that the Oscar-nominated actress is poised to be the female lead in a romantic comedy titled "Kicked, Bitten and Scratched" for First Look Pictures.

Adapted from Amy Sutherland's book of the same name, the picture will center on the year she spent with students at the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College, California where they learn how to communicate with animals. Onboard to pen the script are duo Todd Louiso and Jacob Koskoff who also carry the same duty for "Marc Pease Experience."

The soon to come baby is bringing a blessing to the family. For the sake of the baby, Tori Spelling is working on a reconciliation with estranged mother Candy Spelling.

"We have been in touch with each other and are in the process of communicating and working things out," Candy told People. As of Tori, the actress has on Monday's Good Morning America also said she was hoping to reconcile with her mother but did not go into specifics.

The argument that has been running up and down over the song "Excuse My French" is finally set straight by Kylie Minogue's official website. The song does not belong to the artist.

For months Kylie's new album is rising in demand especially after the announcement of its approximate release that is scheduled for this year. People are expecting the exact release date and also the first single to be released. That is when "Excuse My French" leaked on the Internet and rumor started to spread that it is the artist's first single.

Mandy Moore and boyfriend DJ AM have split, it has been reported. The romance between them has already fizzled, after only two months of dating.

Word of the breakup was first reported Monday March 12th by The New York Post, which reported the singer-actress dumped the DJ. Being asked on that matter, a rep for Moore won't comment on her private life.

Long recognized to be the frequent collaborator of Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider is on the brink to once more get into the same frames with the "Click" star as the funnyman is currently engaged in talks to take part in "You Don't Mess with the Zohan."

A Columbia Pictures production, the comedy flick revolves around a Mossad agent, played by Sandler, who fakes his death so he can move to New York and become a hair stylist. It is said that Schneider will portray an East Yistannen cab driver should he finalizes the deals.

Going for a smaller scale in taking his next acting stint, Josh Hartnett has signed on to topline and produce an indie feature entitled "August" which also features "Miami Vice" star Naomie Harris.

Set to start filming April this year in New York, the project finds Hartnett as one of two brothers who try to keep their startup financial company afloat on Wall Street a month before the 9/11 tragedy. "XX/XY" helmer Austin Chick has been hired to direct from the script he co-wrote with Howard A. Rodman.

Aiming to complete names involved in its thriller project of "Lakeview Terrace", Screen Gems is reportedly holding negotiations with Ashton Kutcher and Neil LaBute to star in and direct the flick, respectively.

Already has both Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington submitted into the cast, the flick concerns an interracial couple who comes into their nightmare upon moving into a home next to a racist LAPD officer, played by Jackson. Kutcher will likely be billed as the male half of the couple, if everything goes as expected.