December 05, 2007

Robbie Williams, Arctic Monkeys and the music act that introduced a new way to release an album this year, Radiohead, are among many people in music industry to prevent scalpers from re-selling concert tickets in higher price.

This campaign would be the starting movement of banning fans who re-sell tickets on websites that have caused the revenue to reach an estimated 200 million pounds from re-sale only.

Picking an early date to exclusively screen "Sweeney Todd", DreamWorks SKG and Warner Bros. Pictures held a starry premiere for the musical thriller Monday, December 3, 2007 at Ziegfeld Theater in New York City.

Spotlight obviously was directed to the movie's cast members who cheerfully walked their way down the red carpet prior to the screening. Besides leading star Johnny Depp, the pack included Alan Rickman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Laura Michelle Kelly, and newcomer Jayne Wisener, who plays Johanna, the only daughter of the titular serial killer.

Two producers of Academy Award-winning picture "Crash" Paul Haggis and Robert Moresco have placed a lawsuit against the studio financing the flick, Bob Yari Productions, stating they are owed more than $4.7 million in profit from the movie distribution.

As reported by Variety, the legal papers, filed last week in L.A. Superior Court, pointed out that both Haggis and Moresco had entered into a series of agreements under which they were entitled to receive a three-tiered contingent compensation depending on the picture's financial success. In the film, Haggis also served as the writer and director with Moresco having a screenplay credit as well.

Daniel Craig, best known as the sixth actor to portray secret agent James Bond in the official film series from EON Productions, is going to bare his flesh for the next installment of Bond film.

Craig, who's signed on to star in the highly anticipated "Bond 22," insists it's only fair he appears naked when he reprises his role because Bond girls are always expected to strip off.

Men's favorite Selma Blair is back on the market. The actress is single again and free to date following her split from actor boyfriend Matthew Felker "a while ago."

Blair, best known for portraying the role of Cecile Caldwell in "Cruel Intentions" (1999), began dating Felker in February. She had her divorce to former husband, musician Ahmet Zappa, finalized November last year.

Britney Spears' music video for 'Piece of Me' almost didn't make it when she arrived late at the set last Tuesday (November 27). The pop star arrived at Los Angeles' Social club well off the schedule and almost lost the chance to newcomer Samantha Jade.

Spears and Jade's label, Jive Records, was finding ways to cover up the expenses that may cost them a leg should Spears didn't show up at the venue. Jade was brought up as Plan B so that the production didn't go to waste.

An initial featurette for the upcoming "Speed Racer" that was already shown on "Entertainment Tonight" has now made its way online, giving a peek on the making of the movie, a live-action adaptation of Tatsuo Yoshida's classic 1960s animated series.

Major part of the clip displays the interview with star Matthew Fox who plays Racer X, the one-time rival of the titular character. There are also some shots on the actor in several green-screen scenes which includes Racer X's infamous Shooting Star race car as well as a glimpse of South Korean star Rain aka Jung Ji Hoon in his role as Taejo Togokhan.

Michael Bolton has put the brake on reports stating that his fiancee Nicollette Sheridan is pregnant and has confirmed they are more focused on planning their wedding than starting a family.

Rumors on Sheridan's pregnancy sparked early last month, inspired by the fact that the actress has started asking "Desperate Housewives" co-stars, Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross and Felicity Huffman all about motherhood and pregnancy.

A new U.K. reality TV show, developed by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, has put Charlotte Church to be the host. This would be her first job after delivering her baby daughter on September 20 this year.

The classic singer will co-host the not-yet named show with 'Doctor Who' star John Barrowman, Sunday Mirror reported. Both of them will search for talented choirs all across the nation. Air date and network station are yet to be determined.

Apparently it does not take long for Angelina Jolie to make her way back into action genre after "Wanted (2008)." Variety has learned that the striking actress will have a spy action thriller as her next starring vehicle, set under Paramount Pictures banner.

Project will be inspired from the true story of intelligence operative Kathi Lynn Austin in dealing with arms trafficking and terrorism. She is noted to have undertaken field missions in Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia, also Central America and most recently worked on contract for the U.N. Security Council.

Pink is potentially facing a lawsuit set by a musician who worked in her 2001 album 'M!ssundaztood'. The musician, identified as Kyle Jones aka Scratch, claimed that Pink never paid him for a credit in the song 'Respect'.

The case became a copyright infringement when the track appeared in the album with Scratch being named in the featured guest slot but never received finalized payment especially after the song was also included in Pink's DVD release, 'Live in Europe'.

Could it be true that Lindsay Lohan dumped her not so famous boyfriend Riley Giles to be with movie hunk Heath Ledger? That's what Aussie magazine New Weekly reported.

The magazine is spreading the word that LiLo is in fact dating Ledger. She's claimed to have dumped Giles after meeting the "Batman" actor in a New York club over Thanksgiving. It was also reported that LiLo and Ledger enjoyed a series of late-night sex sessions in New York when they hooked up over Thanksgiving weekend.

The time has finally come for moviegoers around the globe to witness the first trailer for the highly-anticipated "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian." Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media have officially launched the piece across the Web by now.

Variety reported that the trailer was first shown on "Entertainment Tonight" on Sunday, December 2, 2007 before it got distributed to the evening news and morning chatfests of broadcast webs in more than sixty countries.

Amid the high anticipation of Jackson Five reunion, the little sister of the famous family, Janet Jackson, reportedly responded rather unwell to the idea. She allegedly would like to join her brothers but afraid that her solo career may come to effect, especially with the presence of her "freaky" brother, Michael Jackson.

A source told New York's Page Six column, "Janet said she would be willing to participate in a few select shows next year, but (fiance) Jermaine Dupri is holding her out of it. He wants Janet to go back in the studio and record another album, and he's also wary of having her be associated with Michael because he's gotten such bad press and is just freaky."

In another dose of bad news concerning celebrity's legal problem with the law, Jesse Metcalfe has become the next after the likes of Pierce Brosnan and Jude Law to have been slapped with assault charges. The former "Desperate Housewives" star is facing criminal charges after being accused of punching a photographer outside a London nightclub.

Jesse was leaving the exclusive nightspot Studio Valbonne in Soho on Saturday night December 1st to see on-off girlfriend Nadine Coyle of the Girls Aloud when he reportedly attacked a paparazzo. The snapper, identified as Rowan Lawrence, suffered a bloody nose and reported the incident to Charing Cross police station asking for criminal charges to be brought against the actor.

Bonaroo Festival organizers were quick to tackle the rumor that Led Zeppelin and Metallica are due to headline their 2008 event. The promoters did not exactly denying the truth but find the published report from Bob Lefsetz's newsletter "inaccurate".

"The rumors that are out there about the Bonnaroo 2008 headliners are inaccurate," Superfly Presents and A.C. Entertainment told Billboard.com. "We're very excited about the lineup that we're putting together for this year's festival. We'll be announcing the confirmed lineup toward the end of January/beginning of February."

The-Dream has premiered the music video for 'Falsetto', the second single from his debut album 'Lovehate'.

The song was produced by Tricky Stewart and will go along with the album on Tuesday, December 11. Reports said that the third single from the album has been decided and that would be 'I Luv Your Girl'.

David Beckham is rich and generous. The soccer stud who, needless to say, has lots of money, has surprised all the Spice Girls; Victoria Adams, Melanie Brown, Melanie C, Geri Halliwell, Emma Bunton, by giving each of them a stunning diamond-encrusted bracelet valued at $100,000 a piece.

"He knows I'm really nervous about him seeing me back on stage, so he bought us all these bracelets for good luck. It's like the old days. David spent a lot of time around the girls when we first got together - it's as though he married all of us. He's the original Spice Boy," Victoria told the Mirror.

When the production of "Dragonball Evolution" is about to start, the movie is said to be looking for extras. Through casting flyers made by Julio Toledo - Extras Casting, the studio which produced the anime-adaptation movie announced that they will hold an open audition.

In the flyers, they stated that the movie needs extras of all 'makes and sizes'. They also mentioned that it required martial arts students and instructors and that experience is not the requirement for joining the open casting.

Green Day's latest album 'American Idiot' (2004) debuted at #1 on Billboard Hot 200 chart and went on certified 5 times platinum in the following years. In January next year, the band will be back in the studio to follow it up with a brand new album.

The studio work will polish the 45 raw songs they mentioned earlier, which was composed mostly by piano instead of guitars. No release date has been specified but the theme has been hinted to be quite off from American Idiot's.

Forbes.com has released its annual list of the 20 Top-Earning Stars Under 25. As of this year, sitting on the No. 1 spot of the list is the NBA's LeBron James, who pulled in $27 million between June 2006 to June 2007. The so-called King James, who turns 23 on December 30th, stands to make plenty more with his new four-year $60 million contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and endorsement deals with Nike, Coca-Cola and Upper Deck.

On the 2nd spot of the list is The New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush. The 22 years old NFL player earned $24 million in the time period, such amount of money that put him one place ahead of tennis goddess Maria Sharapova who's at No. 3 with one million less, $23 million.

Growing their fan base extremely well, German rock act Tokio Hotel are allowing fans to dig about them a lot deeper by posting a behind-the-scene footage from their new EPK.

In the mash-up clip, the band talk about recording in English, their EP, music genre and even fans. There are also cuts from their live shows plus music videos.

The trailer of "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" is expected to be released sometime in December 2007. The news of the trailer release was posted by the movie's director, Guillermo del Toro in the message board of Hellboy's Official Site.

In his announcement, he also revealed that the official pictures of Johann Krauss and the villains will be released around December too. On the message posted on November 27, del Toro wrote down, "In the next 3/4 weeks we will reveal Johann. Expect 'Baddies' around mid-December too. A trailer SHOULD be out around the Holidays."

Scarlett Johansson is mad and she's going to court. The movie beauty has threatened to take legal action against US Weekly over its cover story that claims she has had plastic surgery on her nose.

Revealing her intention to sue the tabloid, the Golden Globe Award nominee has reached out to OK! to put the brake on the false accusation and set the record straight.

Nicole Scherzinger's official site has put up a behind-the-scene video of the singer while prepping for her performance at Swarovski's Fashion Rocks back in mid-October. The less-than three-minutes clip shows the singer in photo shoots, radio show as well as studio sessions.

Meanwhile, the second wave of her 'third single' voting is on with 'Powers Out' and 'Supervillian' being replaced with 'Puakenikeni' and 'Physical'. The first polling showed that 'Who's Gonna Love You' and 'Happily Never After' were the top 2 songs chosen by her fans. Thus these two are vied against the other two new songs.

Johnny Depp might join forces with renowned director, Michael Mann to portray another infamous criminal. According to Hollywood Reporter, the "Sweeney Todd" actor has been discussing the possibility of him playing the role of John Dillinger, a great bank robber in the early 1930s, with the producer of "Miami Vice" for his new movie.

The yet untitled project, which is about crime outbreak occurring in the Depression period, is an adaptation from nonfiction book written by Brian Burrrough, entitled "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34". It will be produced by Universal with Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal as the executive producers, and Kevin Misher as the producer. The production of the movie is expected to begin in March and to take place in Chicago.

Dennis Quaid and his wife Kimberly Buffington have on Tuesday December 4th filed a lawsuit against Baxter Healthcare Corp., the makers of the drug Heparin given to their newborn twins, Zoe Grace and Thomas Boone, in an accidental massive overdose last month.

The product liability lawsuit, filed in Chicago, claimed that Baxter Healthcare Corp., based in Deerfield, Ill., was negligent in packaging different doses of the product, on its 10-unit and 10,000-unit, in similar vials with blue backgrounds. The lawsuit furthermore said the company should have recalled the large-dosage vials after overdoses killed three children at an Indianapolis hospital last year.

In line with his new album's release date, Ghostface Killah put up the music video for its latest single. The Wu-Tang Clan member premiered the video for 'Toney Sigel aka Barrell Brothers' that features voices from Styles P and Beanie Sigel.

The clip was directed by Rik Cordero who had penned clips for Remy Ma, Consequence and Memphis Bleek.

A US cosmetics company is suing Teri Hatcher for $2.4 million for breach of contract.

Skin care company Hydroderm filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday December 4th against the "Desperate Housewives" star, accused her of breaking an advertising contract by promoting a rival brand's lip gloss.

Pimp C, better known as one-half of the hip hop duo UGK, was found dead in a hotel room Tuesday morning December 4th. He was 33.

L.A. County Fire Department paramedics responded to a 911 call at about 9:30 a.m. placed from the Mondrian Hotel on Sunset Boulevard where they later on found the rapper dead on bed, fully clothed, at his sixth floor hotel room.