Tag: Deals (79-91 of 229)

Apr 5 2011 06:49 PM ET

Will Meredith Vieira leave 'Today'?

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Brian Killian/WireImage

Two days after a new round of Katie-Couric-is-leaving-CBS stories hit the internet, now comes word that another high-profile newswoman may be abdicating her post. According to a report in TV Guide, Meredith Vieira will step down as the co-anchor of NBC’s Today when her contract expires in September.

Supposedly, the early morning hours — combined with the health of her husband, who has fought cancer and multiple sclerosis — are behind her decision to leave. Apparently, NBC won’t let her go without a fight. ”NBC is doing everything they can to convince her to stay,” an insider told the publication. And here’s the official company line: ”The Today show anchors are currently under contract and firmly in place.”

Vieira, 57, left ABC’s The View to replace Couric on Today in 2006. Couric, meanwhile, is expected to vacate her post with the CBS Evening News to pursue a daytime talk show. Her contract is up in June.

Apr 3 2011 10:07 PM ET

'Star Wars: The Clone Wars': Season 4 scoop on Katee Sackhoff, Savage Opress, and Chewbacca. Plus, a plea for Ben Quadinaros!

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Image Credit: Lucasfilm

Fans of Star Wars: The Clone Wars know this was a breakthrough season. Not only did the quality of the animation seemingly jump to lightspeed, but the stories went deeper into that Galaxy Far, Far Away than ever before with thought-provoking episodes tackling politics, financial corruption, and terrorism. Not the Star Wars you grew up with, to be sure, but a fresh new take on George Lucas’s enduring space opera for the post-9/11 era. In fact, you wouldn’t be far off if you likened supervising director Dave Filoni’s reimagining of Star Wars to Ronald D. Moore and David Eick’s take on Battlestar Galactica. Especially since BSG-alum Katee Sackhoff is voicing a character on The Clone Wars next season!

Now that season three is history, we talked to Filoni about The Clone Wars’ future: Sackhoff, a multi-episode battle epic, the reappearance of Savage Opress, the likely return of Chewbacca, and how George Lucas got legendary Oscar-winning editor Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now) to direct an episode. Here’s what he had to say, starting at the beginning of all things, The Big Lebowski. READ FULL STORY »

Mar 31 2011 12:53 PM ET

Betty White senior citizen prank show coming to NBC

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Image Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage.com

NBC’s getting back into the Betty White biz. The Peacock has ordered 12 episodes of Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, (working title) a new hidden-camera comedy show that will be hosted and executive -produced by White herself. Based on the European format known as Benidorm Bastards, Off Their Rockers will follow seven senior citizens who make it their mission to play pranks on unsuspecting younger people.

‪”Betty White is a comedic genius who escalates hilarity in any situation,” said Paul Telegdy, NBC’s executive vice president, alternative programming, in a statement. “Viewers will thoroughly enjoy watching her pull one over on the unsuspecting youth of America.” ‪‪

“People have been telling me that I’m ‘Off My Rocker’ for years — now I can prove it,” added White.

‪The pact reunites White with NBC, where she starred in The Golden Girls for seven seasons. And recently, White’s appearance on Saturday Night Live earned her another Emmy.

Calling all Bettys! Follow me @EWLynette

Mar 24 2011 09:44 PM ET

'Fringe' renewed for a fourth season

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Image Credit: Fox

Excellent news for Fringe fans: The drama has been picked up for a fourth season. The cat was let out of the bag this afternoon when J.H. Wyman, an executive producer on the Fox drama, tweeted this to fans: “Fringe was picked up!!!! Thanks Fringedom!”

A network spokeswoman confirmed the show received a full season pickup.

Word of the pickup comes after the drama fell to its lowest rating ever last Friday. It dropped 13% to 3.8 million viewers and a 1.3 rating in the adult demo. In defense, ratings had been falling all week because of the time change (more daylight in the early evening tends to result in fewer people watching TV). And CBS was airing college basketball.

Critical praise for the drama has never been stronger and its performance on Fridays is still better than how the network was doing on the night in the fall. In fact, Fox reports that Fringe is the No. 1 show on the night this season — across both broadcast and cable — and that the drama has improved the network’s average on the night by 38%. 

‘Fringe’: First look at Friday’s episode ‘Bloodline’ — EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

Mar 23 2011 03:56 PM ET

MTV picks up two more seasons of 'The Real World'

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MTV has ordered two more seasons of its groundbreaking reality franchise, The Real World, which is currently in the midst of its 25th season, set in Las Vegas. “The Real World has remained relevant for 25 seasons because it continues to capture the lives of young adults, hold a mirror to the challenges they face, and truly reflect the current generation,” said Jonathan Murray, exec producer and chairman of Bunim/Murray Productions, in a statement. “We thank MTV for their ongoing commitment to this show, and we’re excited to see where the two additional seasons take us.”

Casting is already underway for Season 26, which was previously approved by MTV, so this new deal guarantees a 27th and 28th edition of the show.

Mar 17 2011 11:15 PM ET

'90210' may return, but with new showrunner

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Rebecca-Sinclair

Image Credit: Michael Germana/Landov; Patrick Ecclesine/The CW

The CW will likely pick up a fourth season of 90210 but one major player is planning to leave the zip code: EW has learned that showrunner Rebecca Sinclair has decided not to renew her deal. The news was first reported on TVLine.  

“Rebecca’s contract was up so it was no surprise to us at all,” said a spokesperson for CBS Television Studios, which produces the drama for the CW. ”We have a very strong staff and we have been exploring various people and are confident we’ll find the right replacement.”

90210 just wrapped production on its third season. Sinclair, who joined the show after the first year, was credited for injecting some much needed luster into the teen angst series. It’s unclear who will take her place.

Follow me, you little minxes, at @EWLynette

Lori Loughlin on leaving 90210: `There’s just not much for me to do’

Mar 14 2011 11:07 PM ET

Kristin Chenoweth joins 'Good Christian' pilot at ABC

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Image Credit: Sylvain Gaboury/PR Photo

Kristen Chenoweth has joined the cast of Good Christian Bitches, a drama pilot in development at ABC from the producing auspices of Darren Star. She’ll play Darlene in the sexy soap set in Dallas that also stars Leslie Bibb (Amanda), Jennifer Aspen (Sharon), Annie Potts (Gigi), Miriam Shor (Cricket), and Marisol Nicholas (Heather).

Here’s the official logline from ABC for the drama: ”This primetime drama … asks the questions – is it possible to start over in a town that thinks they already know you? Amanda, once the ultimate mean girl in high school, returns home to Dallas after her marriage ends in scandal. Humbled, Amanda is nothing like the girl she once was, but as her old classmates reacquaint themselves with the new Amanda, will these “good Christian bitches” give her a second chance or is this their shot to seek revenge?”

Answer: Probably not, or there would be no series. ABC will decide in early May whether this pilot, among with many, many others, will make the cut for fall. See our ABC pilot wrap for all the details on the network’s development lineup.

Mar 14 2011 02:15 PM ET

'Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!' movie finds distributor, much-needed cash

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As is customary with just about every announcement from Gary Sanchez Productions –  the banner owned Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Chris Henchy — a pretty genius announcement went out today regarding the pending feature film based on Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job.

The film dubbed Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie that’ll mark the big screen debut of Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim has nabbed a U.S. distributor and a financier. Shooting began this month in Los Angeles and Palm Springs. “We were initially apprehensive of the unprecedented price tag of the film, but apparently we agreed to it after having a drink with Tim and Eric,” said financier Todd Wagner, the CEO of 2929 Prods, in a very tongue-in-cheek statement.  “Actually, it’s all a little bit fuzzy. Regardless, we now realize that it would be foolhardy not to participate in what is sure to be the grandest entertainment ever presented to mankind.” Added Ferrell, in a statement: “You can’t put a price on creative excellence and we didn’t. Maybe we should have, but we didn’t.”

Wagner, along with his business partner Mark Cuban, are expected to perform cameos in the film. There is no release date for the film which will be distributed by Magnolia Pictures.

Heidecker and Wareheim have produced five seasons of Tim and Eric for Adult Swim.

Mar 11 2011 01:41 PM ET

CW fall development: Witches, zombies, and law dogs

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bilson-king

Image Credit: Landmark/PR Photos; Glenn Harris/PR Photos

CW topper Dawn Ostroff may be shepherding her best development season yet, but the veteran programmer is not expected to stick around to see the 2011-12 launch: Ostroff, whose contract is up in June, reportedly informed both CBS Corp chief Leslie Moonves and Warner Bros., Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer that she will leave sometime this summer to return to New York, where her husband’s job is based.

Ostroff has run CW since 2006, when it became  joint venture between Warner Bros., and CBS. She’s been bi-coastal for the last five years. READ FULL STORY »

Mar 9 2011 03:30 PM ET

CBS orders two more editions of 'Survivor'

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Probst-SurvivorImage Credit: Monty Brinton/CBSCBS announced today that it has ordered 23rd and 24th editions of Survivor for the 2011-2012 season.  And the news only gets better: Jeff Probst has signed a new pact that will keep him on as host and executive producer for both installments.

“Survivor’ is a program franchise that continues to stand the test of time.  Each season delivers new faces, exotic places, the ultimate social experiment combined with game play, and one of the most engaged audiences anywhere on primetime television,” said Jennifer Bresnan, CBS Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, in a statement. 

The current edition, Redemption Island, is averaging 11.7 million viewers, as well as a 3.4 rating/10 share in adults 18-49. It’s improved its year-ago time period average by 150% in viewers and 162% in adults 18-49.

Probst is a three-time Emmy winner for hosting the long running competition reality show.

Mar 7 2011 09:26 AM ET

Charlie Sheen to land his own show on HDNet?

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sheen-cubanImage Credit: Michael Bezjian/WireImage.com; Jesse Grant/WireImage.comBillionaire Mark Cuban, who owns HDNet, says he has had talks with Charlie Sheen about bringing the actor’s “winning” act to his cable network. In an interview with ESPN, Cuban, who also owns the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, said, “I reached out and we’ve had some conversations, and we’re going to work on doing some things.”

It’s still unclear whether their collaboration might be a reality show or a talk show or something entirely different. “We’ll do something together, but it’s not certain it will be a show,” said Cuban. “It’ll come down to what he wants do and what his situation is. We’ll just figure it out from there, but it’s a unique opportunity, I’ll say that.” READ FULL STORY »

Mar 1 2011 01:35 PM ET

Anthony Bourdain dishes on writing for 'Treme'

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Anthony-BourdainAnthony Bourdain is famous for wearing multiple hats: chef, author, Travel Channel jet-setter, and Bravo judge. Now the renaissance man can add another hat to his rack, as a writer for HBO’s New Orleans drama, Treme, which premieres its second season April 24. We talked to Bourdain about how he got the job, why TV writing is easier than book writing, and why he gets giddy over Treme creator David Simon.

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 28 2011 05:12 PM ET

Sheen lawyer: Pay him for dumped episodes!

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An attorney for Charlie Sheen has fired off a letter to Warner Bros. TV seeking payment for the eight episodes of Two and Half Men that were never produced for CBS, EW has confirmed.

As first reported by TMZ, Hollywood attorney Marty Singer is hoping to recoup the millions that Sheen was set to earn for the episodes that were ultimately dropped when the actor agreed to undergo rehabilitation. After a month away from the set, the studio announced production of Men would resume today – but it would only produce four rather than the originally agreed upon eight episodes that would have fulfilled its order to CBS.

Sheen then went on a radio tirade last week that resulted in both CBS and Warner Bros. announcing that it was pulling the plug on the highly rated sitcom for the rest of season. EW learned that creator Chuck Lorre – if not other members of the Men writing team – did not want to continue working with the actor, which in essence (a legal phrase) made it impossible to continue work on the comedy.

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