Entertainment News Page 4660

The Hollywood Reporter brings the news that John Dykstra is set to make his directorial debut on "Tortoise and Hippo" for Walden Media and Relevant Entertainment. It is an animation adventure flick based on a real-life event written by "Shrek" co-writer Roger S.H. Schulman.

Producing the film is Mike Menchel, while Andrew Adamson is still in final negotiations to produce the live-action and photo-real computer-animated film. "Tortoise and Hippo" is slated for a 2007 release.

Adapted "A History of Violence" for New Line Cinema has given Josh Olson more than enough experience to take "Until Gwen" as his next project. The Oscar-nominated screenwriter has adapted and will direct the drama romance movie.

An independent feature based on the acclaimed Dennis Lehane short story, the film is described as a dark crime drama that explores a relationship between a father who is a con man and a son who has been raised on the edges of society, without going to school and without a Social Security number. The relationship turns complicated when the son falls for a woman who helps him find his own identity.

After the long circulating rumors and hearsay, the report finally is confirmed. Yes, it is true that former cast members of "The West Wing" are set to return for the White House drama's final episodes.

Rob Lowe and friends, including that of Mary-Louise Parker, Gary Cole, Tim Matheson, Annabeth Gish, Marlee Matlin, Emily Procter, Anna Deavere Smith, and Timothy Busfield will all flock back to the NBC's set as the political drama nears its finish.

The wait is over. Fans of Pearl Jam won't have to wait for any longer to hear some new tunes from the band as the Seattle-based super group announced Wednesday it will release its eighth studio album.

The long awaited album set to marry the street on May 2. "World Wide Suicide," the first single from the self-titled album, will be made available to radio stations by March 8, and the same day the song will be available as a free download from the band's Web site, http://www.pearljam.com for two days beginning at 3 a.m.

British pop sensation Girls Aloud is about to return to reality TV. The girls are set to return in a behind-the-scenes documentary series on E4.

Set to have six parts, the show reportedly will follow the girls' first tour of Australia and New Zealand and will be shown in the UK in May to coincide with their British tour.

Touchstone Pictures and Beacon Pictures are teaming up for the sake of the upcoming film project "Funlady." In hand to produce the fact-based comedy is David Duchovny, while Susan Brightbill will write the script, and Tea Leoni has been attached to star in.

"Funlady" follows the life of Linda Brewer, an Arkansas woman who raised her daughters by hosting passion parties and selling marital sex toys out of her car. Brewer dropped out of high school when she got married. When she found herself single and in need of a career, she attended a "passion party," the X-rated version of a Tupperware party, and became a pitchwoman for pleasure, thriving in the Bible belt.

Variety reported that Miramax Films has picked up the North American rights to drama romance "Becoming Jane". Tapped to star in the movie are James McAvoy, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, and Anne Hathaway.

Directed by Julian Jarrold, "Becoming Jane" centers on a love affair British novelist Jane Austen began as a 20-year-old -- with brilliant, roguish Irishman Tom Lefroy -- that inspired her career as one of the world's great romantic writers. Moreover, the film also looks at how the writer's relationship with Lefroy helped create the male characters in "Pride and Prejudice."

Bad news come from Twisted Sister. The 80s metal band frontman Dee Snider has released a confirmation that he will undergo emergency throat surgery on Friday to remove a polyp near his vocal chords.

It is reported that following a Jan. 20 concert in Los Angeles, during which Dee's voice gave out, he then went to throat specialist Dr. Gwen S. Korovin. And after a series of tests, the doctor discovered a benign growth near Dee's voice box.

Madonna, the 'material girl,' is about to make her festival debut April this year, performing at California's Coachella festival. The music goddess has joined the lineup at the 2006 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival for the second night of the Indio, California event on Apr. 30.

Surprisingly, that would be her first festival appearance ever. "I've never performed at a festival," the singer confirmed. "And I'm especially excited about playing at Coachella before I start my own tour."

Two security guards were shot Tuesday night Feb 28th, 2006 at Kanye West's concert in Birmingham, England after a group of people without tickets for the show tried to rush the gate. The men were immediately rushed to hospital, one of them is in a serious condition and still in hospital, while the other one has been released after treatment.

The shooting incident reportedly happened at around 10 PM soon after the two guards ejected a group of ticketless fans. While onlookers claimed there were several people seemingly involved in the shooting, police won't treat it as a gang-related incident. Already arrested one man and one woman who are suspected to be involved in the shooting, police are still continuing their search for the potential shooter.

There's a drastic change on the US album chart. Last week's frontrunner Jaheim's "Ghetto Classics" tumbles to No. 10 with 59,000 copies in its second round. Meanwhile, the No. 1 position is secured by "High School Musical" by various artists, which jumps five places from previous week position selling 101,000 copies.

Debut at No. 2 is another kid-friendly title, "Kidz Bop 9," with 98,000 copies. To bow at No. 3 is Jack Johnson's "Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George" which is sold for another 89,000 copies. Another former chart-topper, Mary J. Blige's "The Breakthrough" holds firm at No. 4 with 76,000 units, followed behind by James Blunt's "Back to Bedlam" which climbs three places to No. 5 with 72,000 copies.

Sandra Bullock is now in Shreveport, La, busy filming her latest film project "Premonition". She is joined by three newcomers, they are Kate Nelligan, Nia Long and Amber Valletta all of whom will star in as well.

The drama thriller genre sees Bullock playing the role of a housewife whose husband dies in a car crash, but then appears alive the next day. Julian McMahon plays the husband role.

Radar Pictures has bought the rights to the comedy spec "Lucky's Last Stand". In addition, the studio will produce as well.

The flick by the writing team of Adam Larson Broder, Tony R. Abrams and Andrew Rose concerns a one-legged homeless man who finds a special, cleated, wooden leg that enables him to become the new star kicker for the San Francisco 49ers.

Absent from television following the end of "Friends" series, Courteney Cox now has another job to do, dishes the "Dirt."

It is a drama pilot for the FX network, which story revolves around the tabloids' schizophrenic photographer and a struggling actor trying to making a name for himself.

Actress Pamela Anderson has signed to host the 2006 Juno Awards, Canada's version of the Grammys, which will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 2.

"She's famous around the world, but Pamela will feel right at home in Halifax," said Susanne Boyce, president of programming at broadcaster CTV, which will air the show.