July 11, 2007

Coming to his next effort after the upcoming "The Ice at the Bottom of the World", Alan Parker has given his agreement to both write and direct "Coram Boy", a co-production of Scott Rudin Productions, Ruby Films, and BBC Films in partnership with Miramax Films and the U.K. Film Council.

An adaptation of Jamila Gavin's Whitbread Children's Book Award winning novel of the same name, the project depicts the epic adventure of two orphans raised in Britain's Coram hospice in 1741 -- one rescued from an African slave ship, the other the abandoned son of the heir to a great estate.

Willingly lending his deep voice, "The Painted Veil" star Liev Schreiber has come onboard to narrate "Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure", a large-screen feature from National Geographic set to have its premiere globally in both 3D and 2D at IMAX and other specialty theaters on October 5 this year.

Presenting a combination of live action and CG animation, the movie is intended to take audiences back 80 million years to explore the lives of dinosaur-era ocean dwellers. Lisa Truitt serves as the producer with the likes of Xavier Lestourneaud, Suzette Barnett, and David Harrisson working in the visual effect department.

Wasting no time in following up its newest romantic comedy "All About Adam" with another of the genre, Walt Disney Pictures is reported to set up "Six Month Curse" based on a spec script by Julie Golden, who recently got hired by Walden Media to work on screenplay for "Sherlock's Secretary."

Pic concerns a bride who finds out that she was cursed at birth so that her romantic relationships have six-month expiration dates. Trying to save her marriage, she then heads for the Brazilian rain forest to reverse the curse yet ironically discovers she falls in love with her river guide.

Months after their shocking split, Hilary Duff breaks her silence over ex-boyfriend Joel Madden and his most recent girlfriend Nicole Richie, who's reported pregnant with his child. The singer-actress shares her feeling to Seventeen magazine in its August 2007 issue.

On dating him, Hilary said, "I was really happy in my relationship with Joel. I was with him from age 16 to 18. Those are important years. He's my first love, so I'll always care about him. But I definitely feel like a different person now that we broke up. And I DO feel happy!"

Picking up a well-known figure to be in charge for its "Dracula Year Zero", Universal Pictures has signed "I, Robot" director Alex Proyas to assume the task in the action fantasy drama, set to be an origins tale about Vlad the Impaler.

Written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, the project is said to attract the Australian filmmaker for their "fresh take on the legend", praising it of being capable to manage playing off the horror and the sympathy one has for a character that "sells his soul to the Devil to save his kingdom and family."

The Beckhams know the right timing. The couple, who's moving to LA in mere days, graces the cover of W magazine for its August 2007 issue. Guess what? Both David Beckham and wife Victoria Adams look so damn HOT.

Among the photo spread, some of them show the couple engages in raunchy poses, while the rest show either of them single posing. Famed photographer Steven Klein shot all the photos.

Kelly Brook will heat the things up in the next series of the BBC1 show "Strictly Come Dancing". The BBC chiefs are in final negotiations to sign the English actress and model to appear in the next series of the British talent show.

"Kelly is about to sign on the dotted line to be in the show", a BBC source revealed. "She's perfect for the part and incredibly fit. She loves dance and trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London so she's a natural. She did minor cabaret appearances before she started working as a presenter."

Rock act Panic! At the Disco is reported paying tribute to pop classic and their choice landed to "Space Cowboy (Yippie-Yi-Yay)". The song made popular by boy band NSYNC and pulled out of the dissolved groups' "No Strings Attached" (2000) album.

In the rumored piece, the band will be joined by Gym Class Heroes' Travis McCoy. The song will then be included in a compilation CD featuring other covered songs by Taking Back Sunday and Cute Is What We Aim For.

Trying his hand at fantasy genre, Irish filmmaker John Moore has secured rights to make "The Book of Lost Things" based on John Connolly's bestselling book of the same name, Variety has reported.

Hit the book shelves last year, the original concerns on a twelve-year-old English boy who opens a portal to another world. Coming to a land of beasts and monsters, he must undertake a quest there to find his way back out.

This just in. Charlotte Church kicks fiance Gavin Henson out from their Welsh home after reading a newspaper report he's cheated on her with another woman.

The very pregnant Welsh pop singer is said to feel devastated upon reading a weekend newspaper interview with shop girl Tracy Donnelly, who claimed she once enjoyed "drunken snogs" with the rugby player at a club.

For the bitter accusation of Avril Lavigne's songwriting ability, Chantal Kreviazuk has apologized in a released statement on July 10. Kreviazuk regretted the statement that she made in a June interview with Performing Songwriter magazine and held a press conference to straighten things up.

"I would like to apologize for any misconceptions concerning Avril Lavigne, which may have resulted from statements I made in my interview with Performing Songwriter Magazine," said Kreviazuk. "It was not my intention to call Avril's songwriting ability or ethics into question."

The America's favorite dysfunctional family finally find their real home in Springfield, Vermont.

Gaining 15,367 out of 109,582 votes posted on USATODAY.com for "The Simpsons Movie Springfield Challenge", the town triumphantly beats out thirteen other like-named cities to come out as the winner of the competition and subsequently becomes the host of the flick's premiere held on July 26.

Soulful singer Alicia Keys has turned to more rock and funk-driven vibe for her third studio album. Noting the mild transition, "As I Am" will be dropped October 23 via Key's long-time label J Records.

Keys who has been working with songwriter Linda Perry for this piece admitted that the process was somehow unusual due to their different background. Perry who comes from rock basis brings out the edge in Keys who originally walked in hip-hop and jazz stream. "She's rock but soulful as well," Keys said. "Together we're talking worldwide domination."

While his reported girlfriend Gemma Atkinson gets busy denying report on her having an affair with Alan Smith, Cristiano Ronaldo kept himself busy with celebration and new girl. The soccer stud was caught getting close and personal with Bollywood beauty Bipasha Basu before then was snapped kissing.

The twosome was attending the New Wonders of the World after party at Belem club in Lisbon, Portugal this past weekend, during which they were seen danced close and personal in its VIP lounge. Is Cristiano trying to seek revenge at Gemma? Or there is actually something going on?

Charlie Sheen scores a new fiancee. The widower got engaged to his real estate investor girlfriend Brooke Mueller after more than one year of dating.

Sheen, a Golden Globe Award-winning and Emmy-nominated Spanish American actor, was reported to pop the question on a Costa Rican beach, presenting Brooke with a $500,000 diamond ring.

Broadening the lineup of the movies set to be presented at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, organizers of the event have smoothly added a handful of film titles into the list for sure.

Coming as a Toronto Gala Presentation at the fest will be New Line Cinema's Middle East political thriller "Rendition" directed by "Tsotsi" helmer Gavin Hood. The flick is going to be accompanied by legal drama "Michael Clayton", a directorial debut of screenwriter Tony Gilroy which will mark its first North American screening there following its world premiere in Venice, Italy.

Although Britney Spears' album will be delayed 'till 2008, it doesn't stop the first single from getting its early release. The song that has been praised by the singer's back up dancer will be titled "Get Back".

Unlike her previous songs, this single is said to have a surprising sound . A source said, "It's a very new sound for her. I think people will be surprised."

No more drama, P. Diddy and his longterm girlfriend Kim Porter are no longer together. A representative for the rap mogul confirmed the news on Tuesday July 10th.

Diddy and Porter both have been together for roughly ten years. They have three children together, a son named Christian Casey Combs and twin daughters, D'Lila Star and Jessie James. Diddy also has another son, Justin Combs, from a previous relationship. Reason for their split was not disclosed.

Drawing in what looks like to be another potential comedy under its care, Fox Atomic is working on "Don't Lean on Me" based on a pitch from scribe Ryan Jaffe, who previously sold his first screenplay for "The Rocker" to the company.

The pitch was purchased by Fox Atomic topper Debbie Liebling as part of Jaffe's blind deal with the studio, which is currently also setting up "Fishing on the Edge" and "Space Invader" to name few. As for the premise, it focuses on an assistant high school gym teacher with no interest in education who faces his worst nightmare -- a promotion to high school principal.

Lawyer for celebrity socialite Nicole Richie paid a surprise visit to court Tuesday July 10th, one day earlier than it was scheduled before, to file a motion requesting a delay in the start date of the star's DUI trial, citing the key witness to the case will not be available to testify until August 5th.

According to the court documents filed by Nicole's lawyer Shawn Chapman-Holley, it is said that Dr. Terence Sean McGee, the drug expert retained to testify on the star's behalf, will be out of the country until August 5th. "His testimony will be critical to Miss Richie's case and there is no other expert retained by the defense who can testify in this regard," the filing read.

Showing up together at this year's Live Earth concert held in Wembley on Saturday afternoon July 7, comedians Chris Rock and Ricky Gervais have announced during an interview with Jonathan Ross there that they will both team up in a buddy cop comedy entitled "Badge Buddies."

While Rock described the project as "kind of Rush Hour meets Shakespeare In Love", Gervais eagerly informed that he will play a police officer whose partner is retired and for one reason, gets teamed with Rock's character, who turns out to be an ex gang member. Further details of the flick is unknown yet except that it is slated for a 2008 release.

Busta Rhymes gave his defense attorney a big high five Tuesday July 10th, after a Manhattan Court judge rejected the prosecution's argument to consolidate four cases against him into just one. That was a big winning for him for sure.

Busta, accused of attacking two men, drink driving and driving with a suspended license, has been offered by Assistant District Attorney Harrison Schweiloch to have the drunken driving and suspended license cases combined which required him to serve a year in jail to cover all four cases.

Tori Spelling adding one new profession into her resume. Yes, the actress is now a reverend. Acquiring her official certificate of an ordained minister last week online, she has just officiated one gay couple at Chateau La Rue, the bed-and-breakfast that she and husband Dean McDermott run in Fallbrook, Calif. on their Oxygen network unscripted series, "Tori & Dean: Inn Love."

The same-sex couple, simply identified as Tony and Dex, was officiated last week. "I am now officially ordained. Yep, that's right ... Reverend Tori Spelling! I did it last week online and my official certificate is in the mail," Spelling wrote on her MySpace blog Monday July 9th.