Thompson on Hollywood

Kaufman's Meta Frank or Francis, Craig and Mara Pose in Empire

- Check out Empire's spread of Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig, as they continue to build hype for David Fincher's The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo. More details on the issue and why Lisbeth Salander is "not a superhero" here.

By Sophia Savage
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October 3, 2011 8:06 AM
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Media Watch: Twitter Proves People Are Happiest on Weekends, Netflix vs. Amazon

Looking at a catalogue of real-time updates from Twitter, scientists at Cornell University were able to track mood changes throughout the day and week, and found confirmation of the obvious: people are happiest on their days off. Cornell University analyzed over 500 million Tweets from 2.4 million people, from 84 countries and using a computer program to look at words indicating positive or negative moods, found that positive attitudes peaked early in the morning and then again around midnight. Moods dipped in the middle of the workday and peaked on weekend mornings.

By Maggie Lange
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September 30, 2011 6:19 AM
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No Bridesmaids Sequel, Mick Jagger as Big Bad Media Mogul, Free Previews for Footloose

Almost as soon as runaway comedy Bridesmaids hit theaters this spring, there was talk about a sequel. At the time, director Paul Feig told New York Vulture: "When you get a group that's this deep and this good, it's a crime to not use them again." However, an Entertainment Weekly interview with Jon Hamm, who played a sleazy love interest in the comedy, put a halt to sequel rumors: "I don't think Kristen is going to do it," said Hamm. "They need to lock [Wiig] up before me."

By Maggie Lange
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September 28, 2011 6:17 AM
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Steve Martin's Letter to Eddie; Paramount's $700 Million Revamp; Dragon Tattoo Preview Reaction

Paramount Picture's planned $700-million upgrade to its Hollywood lot will add new sound stages as well as offices and create an estimated 7,300 jobs during the construction period, reports the LA Times. The project will develop the Melrose Avenue headquarters and potentially some nearby properties as well, over the next twenty years. An expanded studio will allow Paramount to accommodate 500 more employees, up to 5,500 people on the lot.

By Maggie Lange
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September 21, 2011 5:28 AM
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Media Watch: Netflix Takes a Tumble, Google's Propeller, Viki to 10M International Users

Google has a social and news reader in its works, according to sources close to the project. Now called The Propeller, the reader doesn't have a launch date planned yet. [Via Media Bistro]

By Maggie Lange
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September 16, 2011 3:59 AM
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How Butter Used Bachmann, Highest-Paid Man in Entertainment, How NBC Snagged the Jackie O Tapes

In an effort to promote the political satire Butter, whose reviews in Telluride and Toronto were less than stellar, the film's distributor Harvey Weinstein has raised the movie's political references to Michelle Bachmann in order to make a "blatant effort to make [Butter] into something people will be talking about," he wrote in a statement formally inviting the Republican politician to co-host the premiere of the film in Iowa in a few months. Weinstein asked one of the film's actresses, Olivia Wilde, to read the missive:In 20 years of coming to the Toronto Film Festival, I've never released a statement for a film. But I would like to take this moment to formally invite Republican congresswoman from Minnesota and Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann to co-host with me the big premiere of 'Butter' in Iowa in a few months from now.

By Maggie Lange
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September 14, 2011 8:02 AM
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Pre-Premiere of Fox's New Girl, Nick Nolte Talks Bender, Stoll on Hemingway in Paris

By the time Fox's New Girl, starring Zooey Deschanel, premieres, it won't seem so fresh off the presses. Variety reports that the network will allow viewers to watch the whole series before it is broadcast Sept. 20th on live TV. Viewers will have access to the show through various outlets, including an unprecedented pre-primetime viewing on iTunes. The network hopes that through this new strategy they can access sampling opportunities. Before the launch, the show will be available for free on iTunes, Hulu, Fox.com, and Deschanel's Hello Giggles blog.

By Maggie Lange
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September 7, 2011 5:56 AM
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Media Watch: Couric's Soft ABC Debut, LA Times Layoffs, Nicole Miller's Ads Move 100% Online

Katie Couric will make her debut on ABC News by interviewing Sarah P… Sarah Jessica Parker, that is, which THR calls a soft launch for the news anchor, who made a heavily scrutinized move from to ABC from CBS last June. This position with ABC News will allow her time to develop her daytime talk show, Katie, which will air sometime in September.

By Maggie Lange
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September 6, 2011 8:05 AM
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Murphy as Oscar Host, Hugh Laurie Sings the Blues

It's not a stretch to imagine Oscar producer Brett Ratner asking his Tower Heist star Eddie Murphy to consider hosting the Oscars on February 26. Ratner is expected to announce this week whether or not Murphy has made the cut over the likes of Billy Crystal, who has been lobbying for a return, or our fantasy of pairing of Steve Martin and Tina Fey.

By Maggie Lange
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September 5, 2011 8:06 AM
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TV Watch: Chris Noth and Neve Campbell in BBC's Titanic, Girl-Band Show to ABC

The BBC is producing a 12-episode series about the ship that launched DiCaprio and Winslet’s stardom. Titanic: Blood & Steel will cover the construction of the boat amidst the political unrest in England at the time. Neve Campbell is set to star as a reporter covering the ship’s first voyage and Chris Noth will star as financial magnate J. P. Morgan, who New York Magazine describes as the Mr. Big of his time. The show doesn’t have US distribution yet.