'Leverage' Star Aldis Hodge Lands 'The East' Role (Exclusive)

Aldis Hodge is going East. The Leverage actor has been tapped for a supporting role in Fox Searchlight's The East, currently shooting in Louisiana. The eco-terrorist thriller is directed by Zal Batmanglij and centers around a contract worker who infiltrates an anarchist group, known as The East, and finds herself falling for its leader.our editor recommends'True Blood' Star Alexander Skarsgard in Talks to Join Thriller 'The East' (Exclusive) STORY: 'Leverage' Renewed for Fifth Season Hodge will play an ex-military member of the townspeople who is affiliated with the group. He is repped by Paradigm and The Priluck Company. The film also stars Ellen Page, Alexander Skarsgard, Patricia Clarkson and Brit Marling, who co-wrote with Batmanglij. Jocelyn Hayes and Michael Costigan are producing. STORY: 'RocknRolla' Actor Joining Fox Searchlight's 'The East' Hodge can be seen as Alec Hardison when Leverage returns to TNT on Nov. 27. His previous film credits include Die Hard with a Vengeance, Bed of Roses, The Stone House, The Lady Killers and Big Momma's House. Related Topics Fox Searchlight Pictures TNT

Former Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas Weds

First Published: October 24, 2011 11:16 AM EDT Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption DeAnna Pappas and Stephen Stagliano arrive at the Swimming With Sharks Pool Party in celebration of Shark Night 3D held at Hotel Shangri-La in Santa Monica, Calif. on August 27, 2011 DeAnna Pappas can finally shake off her Bachelorette status! After a slew of whirlwind romances including rejecting Brad Womack and ending her engagement to Jesse Csincsak in 2008 the 29-year-old walked down the aisle with Stephen Stagliano over the weekend. According to People, DeAnnas wedding style was country meets fairytale the bride wore cowboy boots under a strapless wedding gown from the Disney Bridal collection and a birdcage veil. They were giddy with excitement, an observer told the mag. She looked incredibly happy. The couple was originally set up by Stephens twin brother, Michael, who appeared on Jillian Harris season of The Bachelorette, and his then-girlfriend, Holly Durst, who fans will remember from Matt Grants season of The Bachelor. The former couple, who since split, went on to win last seasons Bachelor Pad. Stephen, a high school teacher, proposed to DeAnna in August 2010. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Leah Remini Signs Talent Deal With ABC

UPDATE: 12:45 PM: The Sports Business Daily is verifying that Fox pays $450 million-$500 million for rights to a different two World Cups, and Telemundo pays $600 million. If true, people are massive markups within the last U.S. rights offer 2005, when ESPN paid out $100 million and Univision $325 million. PREVIOUS, 9:40 AM: Fox Sports has won the British-language rights to broadcast the 2018 and 2022 soccer World Cups in Russia and Qatar, correspondingly, and Telemundo has won The the spanish language language-language rights, after investing in an offer happened now in Zurich. No financial particulars were revealed, however the official announcement is predicted sometime today or at the start of a couple of days, according to Sports Business Journal the sale includes rights for the Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019. What this means is current rights-holders ESPN and Univision — whose deal in the last two World Cups cost them a combined $425 million — lost within the auction at FIFA headquarters, an unpredicted outcome that didn’t seem to become on anybody’s radar. ESPN, whose current deal includes the 2014 World Cup in South usa, mentioned today in the statement: “We developed a disciplined bid that might have been both valuable to FIFA and lucrative for the organization, while ongoing to build up our unequalled coverage around the world Cup and girls’s World Cup occasions. Have been aggressive while remaining prudent in the business perspective.” That language sounds pretty familiar: Fox folded out similar words if the lost the present Olympics TV-rights investing in an offer to NBC. Both Fox and ESPN are actually prominent systems offering soccer coverage inside the U.S., where the sport’s recognition is solid but nowhere near to large since it is in Europe both share rights for the States’ Major League Soccer games, and both show Fox features its own Fox Soccer Funnel cable network, that will certainly figure plainly on the planet Cup plans.

Fox, Mediaset ink Spanish pact

MADRID -- Fox and TV conglom Mediaset Espana have sealed a multi-year volume deal that will allow Mediaset's Spanish channel bouquet to air Fox-distributed feature films and new TV skeins. Pact includes TV series "Terra Nova," produced by Steven Spielberg, FX drama "American Horror History," "Bones" spinoff "The Finder" and midseason skein "Touch," with Kiefer Sutherland. In terms of feature films, the agreement covers Fox movies released theatrically in Spain over the period 2010-2012, such as "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," "Gulliver's Travels" and "The A-Team." The pact also gives Mediaset Espana broadcasting rights to up to 50 library film titles. Deal marks Mediaset Espana's biggest TV programming alliance with a U.S. studio since 2003, when a Disney output deal expired. Mediaset Espana had been reluctant to pact with the U.S. studios in the past, but in recent years it has clinched programming deals with NBCUniversal, CBS Paramount and Disney. The main reason for this is Mediaset Espana's need to provide fiction content to its large number of digital terrestrial TV services, which encompasses core channel Telecinco, Cuatro, Factoria de Ficcion, Divinity, La Siete and Boing. Mediaset Espana's channel bouquet led the Spanish TV market in September with a combined 26% aud share. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

VIDEO: The One Homemade Pixar Costume Not to Mimic for Halloween

Because it looks complicated to make, has very limited mobility, and is kind of super creepy, this homemade Pixar-inspired costume — a full-body reconstruction of the anthropomorphic Pixar Luxo lamp logo — may not be the best costume idea for your Halloween movie-related revelries. But you’ve got to see it in action. Shivers. Check it out and stick around for your daily Buzz Break. [The Daily What] Anne Hathaway is indeed confirmed for Les Miserables, in which she’ll play Fantine to Hugh Jackman’s Jean Valjean and Russell Crowe’s Inspector Javert. Huzzah? [Deadline] Sorry, everyone: Salman Rushdie hates Game of Thrones. And he’s won the Booker Prize and was married to Padma Lakshmi, so he knows a thing or two about books and hot women. [Pajiba] Scott Derrickson (The Day the Earth Stood Still) co-wrote and will direct Charlize Theron (who will also produce) in a remake of the Dutch horror pic Zwart Water (AKA Two Eyes Staring, which played last month at Fantastic Fest), a ghostly tale about a little girl with an invisible friend who knows things about her mother (Theron). [Heat Vision] Wrap up your coffee break by marveling over these five things predicted by The Simpsons, including the fact find ourselves on movie dates to see an unabashedly silly big screen Three Musketeers movie again. [The FW]

IFC gets slice of latenight

'Human Centipede: Full Sequence' literally out-grosses the original. It ain't no "Paranormal Activity," but IFC's continuation of the "Human Centipede" franchise, "Full Sequence," certainly scared its fair share of auds opening weekend -- at least for a limited latenight release from a non-studio entity."Full Sequence," which screened only at latenight shows on Friday and Saturday, grossed $49,456 from a total 18 locations, for a solid $2,748 per-screen average, selling out midnight screenings in NY and Los Angeles while appealing to hardcore horror fans as well as enthusiasts of the original. The first film, while not a huge B.O. success -- cuming only $181,467 domestically -- nevertheless earned headlines and cult status for its gross-out storyline. "Full Sequence" centers on a disturbed fan of the original "Centipede" who attempts to re-create that film's grotesque biological procedure.IFC launched the film theatrically via its genre label IFC Midnight, with an added video-on-demand component Oct. 12. The distrib relied heavily on word of mouth and a grassroots marketing campaign -- as well as the cult status of the first film."Full Sequence" will expand into other Stateside markets throughout October, and should continue to do well latenight. IFC hopes the pic can build buzz leading up to Halloween, though its following may be limited to indie auds, as higher profile scarers (i.e. "Paranormal Activity 3") also launch mid-October. "Paranormal 3," which bows Oct. 21, should dominate the pre-Halloween marketplace; the holiday itself typically isn't a big moviegoing weekend. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

This Means War Trailer Fills Up Online

It's Sturdy versus Pine!The ultimate time Tom Sturdy was associated with espionage, it absolutely was for your rather excellent Mess Tailor Soldier Spy. Now he's within the spy game, although for your slightly less classy-searching This Means War, co-starring Reese Witherspoon and Chris Pine. A clip has turned up at Apple.Getting chuntered through development for quite a while and employed (then lost) the type of Mike Worthington, Seth Rogen and Justin Timberlake, This Means War takes a Mr & Mrs Cruz-style have a look at bromance gone sour when romance rears its lady-created mind. Sturdy and Pine are a handful of the CIA's finest agents, never more comfortable than when they're cooperating to think about lower terrorists or rogue nations.However friendship is shattered after they uncover both are dating the identical lady (Witherspoon). Jealousy and competition dominate, and very soon they're employing all the high-tech techniques from the trade to ruin one another peoples chances. You understand, the trade secrets that should be trying to stay all safe. Tch... Boys will probably be boys.Coming initially from from Micrograms, this frankly seems as being a backward answer to the enjoyment activity of Charlie's Angels. Still, you understand things will probably inflate real good when he's around even if the gags here appear decidedly stale. We'll obtain the chance to judge properly when the film hits on February 17 next season.

Father of Invention

An Anchor Bay Entertainment relieve a Pangea Media presentation from the Sunrise Films, Jonathan Krane Film Organization, Pangea Media, Horizon Entertainment production in colaboration with Trigger Street Prods. Produced by Ken Barbet, Jason Sciavicco, Dana Brunetti, Kevin Spacey, Kia Jam, Jonathan D. Krane. Executive producers, Stefan Jacobs, Simon M. J. Horsman, D. Scott Lumpkin, Sergei Bespalov, Mark Manuel, Jordan Yospe, Gary Raskin, Jared Ian Goldman, Rita Benson LeBlanc, Brendan McDonald, David Bergstein, Ron Tutor. Directed by Trent Cooper. Script, Jonathan D. Krane, Cooper.With: Kevin Spacey, Camilla Belle, Louise Graham, Virginia Madsen, Johnny Knoxville, John Stamos, Anna Anissimova, Craig Robinson.Clear exposition and inadequacies in imagination or wit stall "Father of Invention" at first gate. The would-be comedy stars Kevin Spacey just like a charming fabricator of dual-purpose products who emerges from an eight-year prison stint sans millions, home, vehicle, wife or daughter. Louise Graham sparks some welcome flashes of humor and genuine interaction, nevertheless the pic never shakes off its creaky buildup until late in your house stretch. Anchor Bay release opens March. 14 and seems unlikely to improve its limited run. Pic opens getting a revved-up infomercial through which Robert Axel (Spacey) pitches products with a very passionate audience within the high-rise corporate headquarters. Nevertheless the film's comic tone seems off, the grandiosity in the spiel neither ingenious enough to look clever nor absurd enough to produce laughs. Indeed, throughout, helmer Trent Cooper ("Ray the Cable Guy: Health Inspector") waffles between heroic and comic visions of his protagonist right after the scene of his triumphant reign come images of his subsequent fall, as Axel exits the slammer searching as being a extended-haired bum. In case your brontosaurus-created nightlight/humidifier or possibly a combined camera/pepper-sprayer made Axel a beloved household title, his ab-cruncher/funnel-surfer/accidental finger-chopper switched it in to a synonym for infamy. Following his release, Axel visits his ex-wife (Virginia Madsen), a would-be chanteuse whose reliance on fame is matched up track of one inadequate talent. She ranks as just the first in the extended line of folks that have are selling his fall. Such is not the problem along with his daughter, Claire (a stylish but somewhat bland Camilla Belle), whose love he sacrificed to his workaholic megalomania. Axel's path to redemption soon becomes apparent: She must restore the affection of his daughter and re-establish the need for his work -- because order, natch. As Axel struggles to rebuild his daughter's trust and also the brilliant career, he ropes in old and new acquaintances, all whom are reborn through their interactions with him. His daughter's two roomies (Graham and Anna Anissimova) are amazingly "cured" of lesbianism and insecurity, correspondingly, and numerous used little people achieve stretch their wings and assume their rightful places in society. Axel themselves appears poised to revive his kingdom, until an egregious bit of moral rug-yanking. Pic really gathers some momentum, if little credibility, since it sweeps toward its conclusion, its awkwardly established elements finally coalescing getting a means of calculating technical ease.Camera (color, widescreen), Steve Yedlin editor, Louise Persons music, Nick Urata music supervisor, Mary Ramos production designer, Ernest T. Garrity costume designers, Johanna Argan, Molly Elizabeth Grundman appear (Dolby Digital), Gabriel J. Serrano supervisory appear editor, Javier Bennasssar appear designer, Bennassar re-recording mixer, Chris David casting, Mary Vernieu, Venus Kanani. Examined on DVD, NY, March. 10, 2011. (This Season Berlin Film Festival -- Panorama.) Running time: 93 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Paula Askanas upped at Sony Pictures TV

Paula Askanas has been upped to exec veep of communications for Sony Pictures Television. The longtime Sony TV exec oversees all media and communications for the studio's TV wing. She reports to Sony Pictures TV prexy Steve Mosko. "Paula's ability to understand both a variety of businesses, as well as the diverse needs of our global operations, has made her a tremendous asset to the company," Mosko said. "As SPT has grown and succeeded, so has she, and her relationships and our exceptional representation in the media are the proof." Askanas was most recently senior veep of media relations. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Latest Transformers Passes Last Our god In The Rings As #4 Box Office Film ever

And so the 5 top order now forever box office worldwide grosses (while not modified for inflation or greater ticket prices or 3d premium) is: 1. Avatar 2D (Fox – 2009) $2.7B 2. Titanic 2D (Fox/Vital – 1997) $1.8B 3. Harry Potter As Well As The Deathly Hallows Part 2 3d (Warner Bros – 2011) $1.3B 4. Transformers: Dark In The Moon 3d (Vital – 2011) $1,119.1 5. The Our god In The Rings: The Return In The King (New Line/Warner Bros – 2003) $1.1B

Evan Rachel Wood Dishes On Skinny Sinking Gossips At Clonneys House

First Released: October 6, 2011 9:54 AM EDT Credit: Getty Premium Caption Evan Rachel Wood attends the premiere from the Ides of March in the Ziegfeld Theater, New york city, on October 5, 2011NY, N.Y. -- The celebrity chatter about skinny sinking at George Clooneys Italian rental property continues! Access Hollywood swept up using the Ides of March star Evan Rachel Wood in the movies premiere in NY on Wednesday evening, where she dished on gossips that they bared all in Lake Como together with her co-stars. Used to do begin Lake Como with George [Clooney] and Marissa [Tomei]. I had been just speaking about this really. It had been crazy, it had been fun. Within half an hour of coming there, i was all within the lake, she told Access. But was she naked like Marissa Tomei stated she yet others were throughout a current appearance on Conan? I won't confirm nor deny the skinny sinking, she stated. I didn't participate [within the skinny sinking] regrettably, however i cannot speak for that others Ill allow them to reveal all. Adding, But Ive become an eyeful! The Ides of March hits theaters on October 7. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Chet Dowling dies at 82

TV author-producer Chet Dowling, who written comedy for shows including "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," "Donny and Marie" and "Three's Company," died Sept. 6 in Studio City, Calif. He was 82 combined with recently been make the hospital due to complications from diabetes and heart disease. The Woonsocket, R.I., native Dowling began his show business career playing one of the clowns on WJAR-TV 10's "Great Circus" with Ted Dark evening (who later carried out Ted Baxter on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show") and Walter Covell. When Dark evening left "Uncle Ted's Backyard" to emcee another local kids show, Dowling needed inside the series, which was retitled "Uncle Charlie's Backyard." At the begining of sixties Dowling gone after NY City. There he written and produced lots of WPIX TV 11 kids shows including "Let's Possess Some FunInch (the Chuck McCann/Paul Ashley version), "The Popeye Show With Captain Jack McCarthy," "The Three Stooges Firehouse With Fireman Todd Russell," "The Dick Tracy Show With Police Chief Joe Bolton" and "The Chuck McCann Show." More youthful crowd written and produced "The Eddie Lawrence Show" and, for a while, "The Clay Cole Show." He ongoing to produce for Alan Funt's "Candid Camera" after which increased being mind author for "The Joan Rivers Show."After moving to La, he written 52 cases of "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In"from 1969-71. More youthful crowd done "The American Music Honours" and TV special deals for Cass Elliot, Tony Randall and Paul Lynde. Joining with Sandy Krinski, he increased being mind author for your "Donny and Marie" show. He written and produced the initial David Copperfield special and will be a staff author on sitcoms "Alice," "Three's Company" and "Gimme a relaxation.Inch More youthful crowd ongoing to produce and produce children's shows for instance "The Lost Saucer" (with Jim Nabors, Alice Playten and Ruth Buzzi), "Whitney as well as the Robot" and "The Completely New Soupy Sales Show."Dowling is managed to get having a sister and a pair of nephews. Donations may be made to Stars while others for Animals, 11523 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

MIPCOM 2011: 'The Firm' Showrunner Spills Secrets About NBC's New Midseason Drama

CANNES -- The head of the Moralto crime family is dead, 10 years have passed since the denoument of The Firm, and Mitchell McDeere and his family have spent it in the wilderness of the witness protection program. Now they want to rejoin the real world.our editor recommendsJosh Lucas in Talks to Star in NBC's 'The Firm' SeriesJuliette Lewis, Callum Keith Rennie Join NBC's 'The Firm'CBS Sues Writer of NBC's 'The Firm' Claiming Show Was Stolen (Exclusive)NBC's 'The Firm' Casts Molly Parker as Female LeadNBC's The Firm To Be Shot In Toronto That's where NBC's new midseason show The Firm -- which has John Grisham as an executive producer -- picks up. The midseason show, due to launch most likely in January, stars Josh Lucas as Mitch, Molly Parker as Abby and Juliette Lewis as Tammy Hemphill. "The McDeeres have been through so much that right off the bat you feel the impact of what they have been through in their everyday lives and the isolation they have faced," says showrunner Lukas Reiter, who has nurtured the project over the past four years and originally approached Grisham with the idea of scripting a sequel. Reiter, a former prosecutor who has worked on The Practice and Boston Legal,said he had long wanted to re-create the future for the characters in the original novel. "I'd been asking myself why John Grisham had never continued ever continue the story -- it was such a success for him and these characters were so real," Reiter said. "How come he never continued this?" Eventually Grisham was persuaded to join the project and has helped advise on storylines. "He has been fantastic in helping to discuss the stories that we are telling and the central conspiracy at the heart of the first season is very much a collaboration with John," Reiter added. In terms of the new series plot arc, Reiter will only say that the family try to get their lives back on track but find that the past has "a way of catching up with them." Much of the drama and thriller feel comes from creating the same kinds of tensions and challenges that made the book and 1993 film adaptation, which starred Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman, so original. "What made Mitch McDeere so special is his ability to find the hidden solution long after the average person believes there is no way out," Reiter said. "Somehow he continues to believe that there is a solution and he is going to fix things. There's a great amount of fun to be had watching Josh Lucas find those solutions." The series, which has filmed in Toronto, is produced by eOne Television in association with Sony Pictures Television Networks and Paramount Pictures. Related Topics NBC The Firm MIPCOM